Hoping for Peace
by The Entity of Darkness
Summary: "You don't look very demon-y." Jade stated, confusion seeping into her voice, "I was expecting you to have more horns." Jasmine couldn't help but laugh. Note: When chapter 3 is posted, the rating will be changed to M for violence. Just a heads up.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello, there! So, a while back I was working on a book, an original story idea. Unfortunately, there was an incident in my life where I lost all motivation to write. I'm trying to get back to it now, but I have writer's block for my book and my writing skills have gotten rusty. I'm not entirely happy with the last fic I finished either because I feel that it wasn't as good as it could have been. This story is my new side project so that I can get back on my feet with my writing abilities.**

 **I'd also like to thank** **The phantom's girl** **for reading over the chapter before hand and helping me with fixing mistakes.**

 **Edit: I normally wait until the next chapter to answer reviews, but this one left me a little confused. To the guest reviewer Matt, I'm not entirely sure what you mean. Jasmine Heiwa is an original character I created. I listed her physical appearance and the reason why she was at Section 13 in this chapter. I also explained where she came from and that she was a half-demon. If your question is referring to what kind of demon she is, I've left plenty of hints in this chapter. The answer of what kind of demon she is will probably be answered in the next chapter. If none of these answered your question, then please let me know. Otherwise I really have no idea what you're talking about and I'd like to clear up any confusion.**

* * *

Finn gulped, cautiously peering into the seemingly endless chasm below him. He had thought that once he gave up crime and joined Section 13 that he wouldn't need to go traipsing all over the globe again. Yet here he was in Tibet, dangling precariously from the cliff of a mountain, one hand hanging on for dear life.

He could feel his grip slipping. Carefully, he reached up with his other hand to try to grab onto the cliff's edge so he could pull himself to safety. An ominous crack rang in his ears, filling the Irishman with ice cold dread. He hastily grabbed at the edge with his free hand, but it was too late. The rock gave way and Finn felt himself fall.

Finn screamed for a good ten seconds before he realized that he wasn't plummeting to his death. He looked up, squinting as the rays from the setting sun hit his eyes, and smiled gratefully at the person who had caught his wrist and saved him.

It was a young woman with pale skin and narrow, magenta eyes. She had short lavender hair that reached her chin in the front, but was shorter in the back. She wore a black tank top with the image of a ribcage printed on it, black cargo pants with a black belt that had a skull shaped buckle, and black hiking boots.

"Thanks for the save, boss."

"It's just Jasmine, Finn." she gently reminded him, smiling warmly, her relief visible in her eyes.

"You got it, boss."

Jasmine playfully rolled her eyes. They had this conversation at least once a day and it always ended with Finn calling her boss anyway. She honestly wasn't sure why she bothered anymore.

"Please, be more careful. If anything were to happen to you I'd miss your," she paused, grunting softly as she pulled the redhead to safety, "witty commentary."

"So, no more bungee jumping without a rope. Got it." he joked, though his heart was still racing from his near death experience. Finn looked up at Jasmine as she got to her feet and opened the map they had been following. "What happened to Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo?"

She glanced up from the map to point at the ridge above them. "When you fell, I told the others to follow the trail down. They should be here soon."

Finn rose to his feet, dusting the dirt off his suit. "Then how'd you get here so fast?"

"I jumped." She had said it so casually, as though she were merely commenting on the weather.

Finn gaped at her in disbelief. Gazing up at the ridge, he estimated that it was at least a twenty foot drop, if not more. "You jumped?"

Jasmine shrugged, somewhat embarrassed. She closely studied the map, avoiding Finn's gaze. "I was afraid that I wouldn't make it in time if I didn't."

Finn grinned. It was more than any of his old bosses would have done for him.

Jasmine had joined Section 13 about six months prior due to special circumstances and he, Hak Foo, Ratso, and Chow had been assigned to work under her. She was nothing like any of their old bosses. She was polite, kind, modest, and she treated them like friends rather than servants.

"Hey," Finn patted her on the shoulder, offering her a smile, "thanks."

She nodded, returning the smile, "You're welcome."

"Finn!"

It was at that moment that Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo came running round the bend.

"You're alright!" Ratso panted out, concern etched on his face. He was hunched over, taking a moment to try to catch his breath.

"We thought you were a goner for sure!" Chow managed to get out, in no better shape than Ratso.

Hak Foo was the only one of the three who wasn't out of breath.

"Me too. If it wasn't for the boss, I would've been."

"You should have been more careful." Hak Foo callously remarked.

Finn bristled, stomping over to him with a glare. "Oh, yeah? And whose fault is it that we had to come back to Tibet for the stupid box anyway?"

"Valmont paid me a large sum to return the Pan-Ku Box to the temple. And I always do my job." The unspoken, "unlike you" was understood by all present.

Jasmine stepped between the two to prevent a fight from breaking out. "Both of you need to calm down. The temple is just up ahead. We're almost done and then we can go home. Sound good?"

The two men stood firm for several minutes, continuing to glare at each other. Neither of them wanted to be the first to back down. Finally, Finn broke eye contact. He scoffed and turned away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Let's get this over with." he sighed, "Lead the way, boss."

Jasmine patted his shoulder, silently thanking him as she passed. They both knew that Hak Foo was too stubborn to back down first. She was glad that he chose to take the high road.

"This would have been easier if we had brought the talismans." Ratso commented as they followed behind Jasmine.

"Maybe." she said, "But it's safer for them to remain in the vault. Someone is after them and we have no idea who or why. It would have been dangerous to bring them out into the open."

"Okay, but why do we need the Pan-Ku Box?" Chow asked, "I thought that after that old geezer sealed all the portals it couldn't be used to open them again."

"Do you remember Captain Black telling you about the secret underground bunker my father discovered on our private property? The one where he discovered the Talismans of Shendu that I delivered to Section 13?"

"Yeah." Chow answered, "He's still investigating it, isn't he?"

"Yes, but about a week ago he came across what appeared to be an encrypted research journal."

Jasmine paused, coming to a halt at the entrance of the temple. She carefully folded up her map and tucked it into her pocket. She then pulled out a flashlight and flicked it on, motioning for the others to do the same, and ventured into the temple.

"Now, I've only been able to decipher a small portion of the book's contents, so I don't have all of the details yet, but whoever wrote it seems to want to open a rift to the Netherworld and release all of the demons trapped on the other side. Including Shendu and the other demon sorcerers."

Finn gasped, "Why?!"

Jasmine shook her head, frowning. "That part isn't entirely clear yet. At the moment, I can only guess that this person has a prejudice against humans. From what I've gathered so far, they seem to think that they'll be able to use the Pan-Ku Box to somehow open a door between the worlds."

Jasmine came to a stop when she spotted the Pan-Ku Box. It was sitting atop a pedestal in the center of the main chamber of the temple, right where Hak Foo had said he left it. Chow scoffed, folding his arms over his chest as Jasmine approached the box.

"I'm telling you, that thing is useless now." Chow insisted, "After Po Kong was banished, we tried to make the stupid box open the portal again and it wouldn't. Whoever wants it would be wasting their time."

"Even if that is the case, I'd still feel better if it was out of their reach."

"Uh, boss?" Finn spoke up, watching with concern as she reached for the Pan-Ku Box, "Do you want one of us to get that for you?" He remembered how the box burned Shendu any time he tried to touch it.

"No, thank you, Finn. I can get it."

Jasmine picked up the Pan-Ku Box and smiled, taking a moment to examine it. The metal was pleasantly cool in her hands and despite being centuries old, neither the color nor the markings were faded at all, as though the box had just been created yesterday. She could tell that it was brimming with ancient and powerful magic, so much so that it caused her skin to tingle.

"Great, we've got the box. Can we go now?" Finn asked. His eyes darted around the room uneasily, glancing at the various gold statues. For some reason, he had the feeling that they were being watched.

Jasmine was about to respond when she spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. Immediately on edge, she turned towards it and gasped. There, floating across the floor, was a small paper doll. It was white and about five inches tall with a round head, two rectangular arms, and a body that pointed downwards with no legs.

"Shikigami!" she cried.

The little doll gave a start, as though surprised that it had been discovered.

"What?" Ratso asked, puzzled.

"Where?" Chow and the others looked around to try to figure out what she was talking about.

"There!" Jasmine yelled, pointing, "The paper doll!"

The doll became frantic as all eyes turned to it and it scurried towards the gold guardian lion statue at the far side of the room. Jasmine was so stunned by the creature's presence that the thought of stopping it hadn't occurred to her before it was too late and the Shikigami latched onto the back of the statue.

For a moment, everything was dead quiet.

"Uh, boss..." Finn began, eyeing the Shi warily, "What **was** that?"

"Finn, Chow, Ratso, get **away** from the statue." she commanded, eyes fixated on the guardian lion as it blinked. Carefully, she tucked the Pan-Ku Box into one of the larger pockets on her cargo pants, buttoning it securely. "Hak Foo, get ready."

The Shi slowly turned its head towards Jasmine, glaring, a growl rumbling in its throat. Finn, Ratso, and Chow gasped in shock and quickly backpedaled to get away. Hak Foo stepped forward with a grin as he cracked his knuckles, excited by the idea of fighting a potentially strong opponent.

The beast stepped of its pedestal, ignoring Hak Foo and the others entirely in favor of Jasmine. She raised her fists and assumed a fighting stance, locking eyes with the creature.

Suddenly, the beast charged at her and leapt into the air, extending its claws to swipe at her face. With ease, Jasmine seized it by the paw with one hand and effortlessly threw it towards Hak Foo.

"Black tiger pummels gold lion!" he shouted, punching the creature in the face.

The beast whined as it was sent flying across the room, hitting one of the temples pillars with a metallic clang. Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she spotted the paper doll still clinging to the statue's back.

"Hak Foo, can you manage to pin it down? I need to get to the paper doll on it's back."

Hak Foo nodded and leapt into the air, "Angry crow takes flight!"

The Shi had only just recovered when Hak Foo's foot made contact with it's side, knocking it down once more. He then put the creature in a headlock. The beast thrashed about in an effort to get free, but Hak Foo's grip was too strong. Cautiously, Jasmine approached the beast, watching carefully in case it did manage to break free. Placing her palm over top of the paper doll, a blue flame emitted from her hand, engulfing the little shikigami in fire. Hak Foo released his hold as the doll turned to ash and the statue went limp.

Jasmine turned to Finn, Ratso, and Chow, her expression serious. "We should hurry back to Section 13 immediately. I'm beginning to believe that the box is not as useless as we thought."

They eagerly agreed.

* * *

The group of five quickly returned to the Section 13 jet they had used to travel to Tibet. Hak Foo went straight to the cockpit while the others took their seats.

Jasmine watched anxiously as the distance between the jet and the ground grew, her stomach tying itself up in knots. She didn't care much for flying. It wasn't that she was afraid of heights. It's just that once she was up in the air the thoughts of everything that could go wrong with the plane hit her at once and she couldn't help but imagine the worst case scenario.

Feeling the familiar tightness in her chest, she forced herself to look away from the window. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths. _"It's fine. You're fine. Everything is fine. Just calm down."_ she thought to herself.

Vaguely, she heard movement. When she opened her eyes, Finn was sitting across from her, worry in his eyes. He was well aware of how she felt about flying.

"You okay there, boss? You feel like you're gonna be sick?"

Jasmine shook her head, forcing a smile despite her obvious discomfort. "I'm alright, Finn."

He seemed skeptical. Jasmine quickly changed the subject.

"Did you need something from me?" She figured that he must have come over for a reason.

Finn studied her a moment before he sighed and leaned back in his seat. "That... **thing**... What **was** it?"

Jasmine cocked her head to the side, puzzled, "Do you mean the shikigami? I thought I already-" She stopped abruptly, realization dawning on her, "Oh, that's right! I forgot that you three weren't with Hak Foo and I when we went to retrieve the journal. The three of you had gone to visit your nephews."

"Wait, retrieve?" he questioned, "Your old man didn't mail it to you?"

"Too dangerous. He knew that whoever was carrying the journal was likely to be attacked. Instead, he had sent his most trusted butler to travel halfway across the country with it. Hak Foo and I were to meet him at the halfway point and returne to Section 13 with the book. A couple of shikigami attacked us as soon as we met up, no doubt sent by the owner of the journal."

By this point, Ratso and Chow were listening to their conversation.

"So, uh, what exactly is a shikigami?" Ratso asked.

"A shikigami is a spirit summoned by an onmyouji, a sorcerer. They can be used to spy, retrieve, attack, and protect. Really, whatever their master wants."

Chow gulped, slightly frightened, "Sounds powerful."

"They are." Jasmine nodded in agreement, "And whoever summoned them now knows that we have the box."

"How?" Finn questioned, "You burned their little spy."

"Shikigami share a special link with their masters, which can cause the onmyouji to feel... sympathetic injuries." she explained grimly, "I guarantee that whoever summoned that shikigami felt the burn of my foxfire."

* * *

"AAAGGHHH!"

The scream of pain reverberated through the small dark secret lab.

"Damn that filthy, worthless hanyou!" the shadowy figure hissed, "Damn her to the fiery pits of Hell! It's not bad enough that her human-loving father found my research lab and took my notes and the talismans! No! Now his disgusting halfling of a daughter continues to get in my way at every turn!"

The figure slammed their fists angrily on a nearby work table, causing several beakers and vials to rattle. For a few moments, only the sound of heavy breathing was heard. Then, the figure straightened up and turned to their bookshelves.

"No matter." they stated calmly, "She only delays the inevitable. We demons have been hidden in shadow for so long while the humans are free to roam and do as they please. That will change. Soon, I will create a world where demons may roam free while the humans are forced to run and hide like rats! I **will** create a utopia for demons and there will be nothing that Jasmine Heiwa or anyone else will be able to do to stop me! I swear it!"

* * *

Stares. Everywhere she looked there were people staring, whispering behind their hands as they watched her pass. Just like always. Just like at home. She couldn't help but shrink back under their scrutiny, an action that didn't go unnoticed by the men walking beside her.

"Ignore them." Hak Foo advised her, referring to the Section 13 agents, "They merely fear that which they do not understand."

Jasmine stared down at the Pan-Ku Box in her hands as the group of five made their way to Captain Black's office. "I'm used to it." she said quietly, "I grew up with this kind of treatment."

 _"At least they're not throwing things at me..."_

Despite being used to the treatment, Jasmine was still uncomfortable. She could practically **feel** the eyes of every agent on her, hear their harsh words of judgment. She could hear them say that she was a monster, that it was only a matter of time before she turned on them. She heard them say that she didn't belong there.

And maybe, just maybe, they were right. Maybe she **didn't** belong there. But, then again, she had never really **belonged** anywhere, had she? Not at home, not at Section 13. Nowhere. There was no safe haven for a creature such as her.

Jasmine's chest tightened and her breathing became labored, but she hid it the best she could. Her mind was racing. All she wanted to do was run. Run away from the prying eyes of others and hide in her room. With some effort, she resisted the urge to flee and instead focused on her breathing.

Finn, who had been watching Jasmine the whole time, had decided that enough was enough. With a growl, he turned to the other agents and barked out, "Don't you people have work to do?"

The agents had the decency to look ashamed. Quickly, they scurried about, getting back to their jobs.

"You didn't have to do that." she said softly, offering him a meek, but grateful smile, "But... thank you, Finn."

Finn shot her a grin, "No problem, boss."

By the time they had reached Captain Black's office, Jasmine had straightened up and her breathing had returned to normal. Knocking on the door, she waited for Captain Black to tell her to come in before venturing inside.

"Captain Black, we've successfully retrieved the-" She stopped short when she realized that Captain Black was nowhere in sight. Jasmine looked around in confusion, she was certain that she had heard his voice. "Captain Black?"

There was a thud, followed by a quiet, "ow". A moment later, Captain Black rose from underneath his desk, one hand rubbed his bald head.

"Um, sir? Why were you under your desk?"

The man sighed and sat in his chair, "I was concerned that we may be in over our heads, so I called an old friend to give you a hand."

There was a tightness in Jasmine's chest. _"A stranger?"_ she thought, her stomach churning.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the name Jackie Chan?" he continued, oblivious to her reaction.

"Of course. His name was all over the reports you gave me concerning Shendu, Drago, and the other demon sorcerers." she replied.

"Given his history with magic, I figured that he'd be the best person to help you. But Jackie is responsible for his niece Jade, who's very... adventurous." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. "She disappeared while I was briefing Jackie. She hasn't seen Section 13 since it's been rebuilt, so we think that she's exploring. Jackie's with Agent Smith right now trying to find her. I'll introduce you to Jackie and Jade in the morning."

"I... see." Jasmine averted her eyes to the floor. The thought of meeting this Jackie had her stomach in knots.

Captain Black looked up and finally realized what Jasmine was holding in her hands so easily. He stared, incredulous. "Is that... the Pan-Ku Box?"

"Yes, sir. We managed to retrieve it from the temple in Tibet. However... we did run into interference. There was another shikigami."

Captain Black laced his fingers together, his brow furrowed. "So it's as you said. Someone **is** after the box. But why?"

Jasmine shook her head regretfully, "I... do not know. With your permission, I'd like to retrieve the encrypted journal from the vault and study it and the Pan-Ku Box. Perhaps I can make some headway and discover who this person is and what they are planning."

"Of course. You have full access, as usual." Captain Black then turned to the men, "As for you four, you're to help me find Jade. Make sure she hasn't wandered into any highly restricted areas."

The men grumbled, tired from the long flight, but complied. Jasmine put the Pan-Ku Box back in her pocket and told the men goodbye before making her way to the vault.

* * *

As she stood in front of the vault door, Jasmine pulled out her keycard and punched the code into the keypad. The big heavy metal door silently swung open and a burst of cold air rushed passed her. Cautiously, Jasmine stepped inside.

Aside from the talismans and the encrypted journal, the vault held a couple of other magical objects that she frankly didn't want anything to do with.

Along one wall were four small circular reflective disks, each of which, she had been told, housed a malicious mirror spirit with the power to make the worst fears of oneself come true. Upon entering the vault, she could vaguely hear them begging to be released, making false promises to grant wishes. Jasmine simply ignored them. There was no way she would even consider doing something so utterly foolish.

Instead, she glanced at the wall where the mask of the infamous Tarakudo, king of all Shadowkhan, lord of all oni, hung silent and still. She had been told that not only was Tarakudo sealed in the magical mask, but also all nine of his generals and all nine different tribes of Shadowkhan.

Despite the mask being no danger unless worn, looking at it still caused an involuntary shudder to go down her spine. Having Japanese roots, she had been told stories of the oni by her parents. Particularly of Tarakudo himself and his desire to bathe the Earth in everlasting darkness. Even now as an adult, the stories caused her a bit of unease.

Shaking the thought from her head, Jasmine turned to the drawer on the wall that had a keypad on it. She entered the code and watched as the drawer slid open, revealing the journal she was looking for. The journal itself was a deceptively ordinary black leather bound book. As she grabbed it, the book briefly shimmered green, the magic around it dispersing. She had placed a protective seal on the book to ensure that no one stole it while she was away.

Shutting the drawer, Jasmine hurriedly left the vault and headed to her room.

* * *

Once inside her room, Jasmine closed her door behind her with a sigh of relief. The other agents were so preoccupied with finding the missing Jade that, for once, they payed her no mind as she passed them in the hall.

Making her way over to her desk, she set the encrypted journal down and promptly froze. There was something off. The book she had been using to decode the journal was now on a different page and a quarter of an inch to the left. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the room around her. Faintly, she heard breathing and subtle movements. There was an unfamiliar scent in her room. All of which was coming from underneath her desk.

Quick as a flash, her eyes snapped open and she seized the intruder before they could escape. There was an indignant, "Hey" as she pulled them into the open. Once again, Jasmine froze, her apprehension being replaced with confusion.

Her "intruder" turned out to be just a young girl, no older than twelve or thirteen. She had short black hair, big brown eyes, and pink lips pulled back in a sheepish grin. She wore a pair of jeans and an orange hoodie, which Jasmine had grabbed the hood of to drag her out from under the desk.

The girl waved, a nervous chuckle escaping her, "Uh, hi?"

Jasmine released her, unable to stop herself from staring. "How... did you get in here?" She had locked the door when she left, as she always did.

The child pointed underneath the desk, "The vent."

Jasmine ducked her head to check. Sure enough, there was a vent in the wall under her desk, the cover of which lying on the floor. Turning back to the girl, she suddenly remembered the reports Captain Black had given her regarding Shendu and the other demons.

There was a glint of amusement in her eyes as she smiled warmly at the child. "You're Jade Chan, aren't you?"

She beamed up at her excitedly, "You've heard of me?"

"Yes. Section 13 has classified you as the ultimate security risk."

Jade's expression fell. Crossing her arms over her chest, she grunted in dissatisfaction.

"Everyone is looking for you, you know?" Jasmine informed her, frowning, "Your uncle is worried about you."

"I wanted to explore, though!" she protested, "I haven't seen Section 13 since it was rebuilt!"

Jasmine sat down in her desk chair and pulled out her cell phone. "You'll have plenty of time to explore later. I'm going to call Captain Black and tell him where you are so everyone can stop panicking."

"Aww..."

As she made the call to Captain Black, Jasmine watched as Jade rummaged through the encrypted journal and the notes on her desk, eyeing each item curiously. Hanging up, Jasmine tucked the phone back into her pocket.

"Captain Black will be here with your uncle shortly."

"Uh-huh." she mumbled distractedly. Jade looked at the papers a moment longer, then set them down and turned to Jasmine. "So, who are you, anyway?"

"My name is Jasmine. Jasmine Heiwa."

Jade's eyes became almost comically wide as she jumped back, startled. Pointing a shaking finger at the older woman, she asked, "Wait, **you're** Jasmine Heiwa?"

She leaned back in her chair, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "That's what my parents always told me."

For awhile, Jade only stared, her expression unreadable. She placed her hand on her chin, deep in thought, and circled around Jasmine. Jasmine sat quietly as the child examined her, waiting patiently for her to form an opinion. Finally, Jade came to a stop in front of Jasmine.

"You don't look very demon-y." she stated, confusion seeping into her voice, " I was expecting you to have more horns."

Jasmine couldn't help but laugh. There was no fear or animosity in her tone, just childlike curiosity.

"I take it Captain Black told you about me before you took off." she began, smiling, "First of all, Jade, I am only half-demon and I'm using magic to hide my less human features so I don't scare everyone unnecessarily. Second, I'm not the kind of demon who has horns."

"Then what kind of demon are you? And how are you a half-demon?" Once she started, the deluge of questions just kept coming, "I thought that Drago said that all demons had been banished to the Netherworld, so where did you come from? Why are you helping Section 13? Are you here because the talismans are back? And what's with that book with the weird symbols in it?"

Jasmine's eyes went wide as Jade took a breath. "Woah, woah!" she waved her hands in front of her, stopping the inquisitive child from asking anything else. "I'll be happy to answer any questions you have, but one at a time, Jade!"

The brown eyed girl chuckled, slightly embarrassed, "Heh, heh. Sorry..."

"Now, about what Drago said about all demons having been banished to the Netherworld. He was not... entirely correct, but I can see how he came to that conclusion. Long ago, when the Eight Immortals banished the Shendu and his siblings, humanity went on the hunt for demons. Most were either banished or... slain, but there were some who managed to escape. They used their magic to hide themselves amongst the humans to survive."

"So you were one of those demons who got away?" Jade asked.

Jasmine laughed again, shaking her head, "Oh, no! I'm not **nearly** that old! I'm a descendant of one of the demons who managed to escape."

"Oh."

"My father owns a large amount of land on the east coast with a dense forest encompassing it. Within that forest is a sort of... compound where several different clans and species of demons reside. I was born and raised there. Because he is the strongest, my father leads and sets rules for the community. I... don't know if there are any other demons on Earth right now aside from those in the compound."

"And you left to come to Section 13, why?"

Jasmine sighed, her expression troubled as she ran a hand through her hair. "A little over six months ago, while my father was walking through the woods surrounding our land, he came across an underground bunker. There was evidence that someone had been there recently and, based on the books and items inside, whoever was using it was dabbling with ancient and powerful magic. Among other things, my father found the twelve talismans of Shendu. Even as remote as our little community is, even we had received word that Shendu and his talismans had been banished to the Netherworld. Father knew that they should not have been on Earth. He's still investing the bunker, but he didn't want anyone to be tempted by the power of the talismans. He also wanted Section 13's assistance in figuring out what's going on, as he feels that something bad is going to happen soon. We think that the person responsible wants to open a portal to the Netherworld. I volunteered to deliver the talismans and help Section 13."

Jade fell silent again, eyeing Jasmine dubiously. Crossing her arms over her chest, she cocked her head to the side. "But if this guy wants to set all the demons free, why are you trying to stop them? Wouldn't that be better for you guys? I mean, you wouldn't have to hide anymore, right?"

Pain flashed in Jasmine's eyes. She was quick to hide it, but not quick enough to stop Jade from seeing it. Jasmine's gaze fell to the floor, as though ashamed or embarrassed. Jade couldn't tell which. A brief, but heavy silence passed between them before she even attempted to answer.

"...Earlier... you asked me how I was a half-demon... Well... my father is a demon; but my mother is human. They fell in love and got married. Mom... mom changed father's whole perspective on humans."

Jasmine glanced up at Jade, finding that the girl was listening intently. "I'm sure you've met enough demons by this point to know that most of them have... a very low opinion of humans."

Jade nodded.

"Father doesn't think about humans that way. He sees them not as lesser beings, but as equals."

Jasmine paused again, this time offering Jade a small smile. "Can you keep a secret?"

Again, Jade nodded.

"The reason why my father and I want to help Section 13 is because of a shared dream we have."

"A dream?"

"Yes. One day... we hope that demons and humans can live together, in peace." Jasmine closed her eyes and placed a hand over her heart, trying to envision it. "As it stands now... that day is very far away. But... I'm willing to work hard so that one day... all this silly prejudice and fighting can stop." She opened her eyes, smiling brightly, "I want that. I want that more than anything else."

Jade was gawking at her, speechless. Her reaction made Jasmine nervous, though she supposed that it was better than the child laughing in her face. Feeling vulnerable and eager for a distraction, the half-demon turned to the encrypted journal on her desk.

"A-and about this book; it's an encrypted journal of sorts that my father found in the bunker. I've been trying to decode it for about a week now. This is how we figured out that whoever is responsible for all of this wants to open a portal. I haven't gotten very far, but I did find out a little bit."

Jasmine pulled the Pan-Ku Box out of her pocket, eliciting a shocked gasp from Jade.

"The Pan-Ku Box?! But Uncle said that it was forged by good magic and that bad magic couldn't touch it! It burned Shendu every time he tried!"

Jasmine looked between Jade and the box curiously. She could certainly **feel** the box's magical power, but it wasn't hurting her at all. With a shrug, she placed it on her desk and showed her unmarred palms to Jade.

"It hasn't hurt me at all. Maybe because I'm not a full demon? I can't really say."

Jade stared up at Jasmine as she went back to the journal. "Anyway, from what I've managed to decipher so far, whoever is behind this seems to think that they can somehow use the Pan-Ku Box to open a rift to the Netherworld and free all of the demons trapped on the other side, including Shendu and his siblings."

"Impossible." Jade scoffed, "When Uncle sealed the portals, he sealed them for good."

"Chow said that too." Jasmine recalled, "But whoever is responsible for this seems to think otherwise, and I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Suddenly, Jasmine's head turned to the door, her eyes narrowed in concentration. She could faintly hear Captain Black's voice coming from down the hall. "Captain Black is almost here."

"How can you tell?"

She smiled playfully as she rose from her chair, "I have very good hearing." She walked to the door, Jade following close behind her.

"But you never told me what kind of demon you are!" Jade moaned in disappointment.

"You're a clever girl. Why don't you see if you can figure it out?" she chuckled.

"But there are like, a bajillion different kinds of demons! It'll take forever to figure out which one you are. All I know is that you don't have horns and that you have good hearing."

"I'll give you a hint then. You're going to want to look towards Japanese mythology."

"Japanese mythology." she repeated to herself, determination burning in her big brown eyes, "Got it!"

Jasmine couldn't help but smile at her, as she reminded her of her own little sister. Opening the door, Jasmine was about to step out of her room when she heard Agent Smith's snarky voice.

"With all due respect, Captain Black, how could you leave a child alone with **her**?" As though her accusatory tone wasn't enough, she then added, "What if that **beast** ate her?!"

Jasmine's knuckles turned white as she gripped the doorknob tightly. Her chest felt tight and breathing became difficult. Agent Smith had never liked her and she never tried to hide that fact either.

Jade, who had also heard Agent Smith's voice, noticed the change in Jasmine.

"Captain Black," they heard a slightly accented male voice tentatively begin, "she would not... hurt Jade, would she?"

Jasmine's stomach dropped, her heart clenched. Jade watched as she lowered her head, lavender hair blocking her eyes.

"Jade, perhaps it would be best if you went out to greet Captain Black and the others on your own."

Jade wanted to protest, but one look into Jasmine's sad, pain filled eyes silenced her. Without a word, Jade left. Jasmine shut the door behind her, tuning out the voices coming from the hallway.

Closing her eyes, her fists clenched by her sides. _"Idiot."_ she thought to herself, her fingernails biting into the flesh on her palms, _"How could you possibly think that anything would change? You should know better than that."_

All of a sudden, the alarm on her cell phone went off. Pulling the device out of her pocket, she turned the alarm off and scowled at the time. It was 8:00 pm. Walking to her desk, Jasmine flopped down in the chair and yanked the top right desk drawer open. A small, orange prescription pill bottle rolled to the front, the tiny white pills inside jostling with the force she had used to open the drawer. She glared at it, her lip curling in disgust.

 _"I don't need it."_ she thought, slamming the drawer shut. _"There's nothing wrong with me."_ Jasmine buried her face in her hands. _"I'm not weak."_ Unable to stop herself, she began to cry. _"I don't need any help."_

* * *

 **1\. If any of you have seen the movie** **Spirited Away** **, the little paper dolls that attacked Haku while he was a dragon were actually shikigami.**

 **2\. A** **Shi** **is the name for those Chinese lion statues. I can almost guarantee that if you look up a picture of one, you've probably seen one before.**

 **If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them. If you enjoyed this chapter I'd love to hear what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I know this chapter is a little shorter than the last one. Sorry about that. I wanted the events of the next chapter to stay together. Just so you all know, I'm kind of just writing this all out as I go along and then posting it. So I don't have a standard update time.**

 **To my guest reviewer** **Matt** **, in case you missed it, I responded to your review in the first chapter.**

* * *

Jasmine sighed, disheartened, as she made her way through the halls of Section 13. She was staring down at her feet and the floor in front of her, deliberately avoiding the eyes of the agents around her. Still, she could feel them looking at her, hear them talking about her as she passed. Her breathing grew short and she attempted to ignore them, but with little success. When that failed, she tried to focus on just getting to her room where she could get away from other people, get away from their harsh, unfair judgment.

Jasmine was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she almost didn't stop when a familiar pair of grey shoes came into view. Looking up at their owner, she was relieved to find that it was Finn standing before her, hands in his pockets as he smiled his usual relaxed smile. Jasmine couldn't help but smile back, grateful to finally see a friendly face.

"Been looking for you, boss." he informed her, "I tried your room, but the door was locked so I figured you were out."

"Yes, I had a meeting this morning with Captain Black and... Jackie Chan. I'm just heading back now if you want to walk with me." she told him, "It's your turn to help me today, huh?"

Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo took shifts helping her with her research, as she typically didn't need all of them at once. Usually she just asked them to do small, simple tasks. Things like fetching certain books from her bookshelves or making tea.

"Yeah, that's right." He frowned as he walked beside her, thinking about what she had said. "So you met Chan, huh? How'd **that** go?"

Jasmine heaved another sigh, her heart sinking as she recalled the meeting.

* * *

Jasmine stared at Captain Black's door, her trepidation threatening to consume her as she listened to Captain Black and... Jackie Chan's voices coming from inside. Her heart was racing to the point where it felt like it would leap right out of her chest. Her breathing came in short intakes and she was beginning to feel lightheaded because of it. Her stomach lurched at the thought of going inside, but she knew she had to.

Jasmine looked down at the blue three ring binder clutched tightly in her hand. It contained photocopies of her notes, research materials, and the encrypted journal. Captain Black had asked her last night if she could provide them for Jackie Chan in the morning.

Taking a moment to wipe her sweaty palms on her pants, Jasmine knocked on the door.

"Come in." she heard Captain Black say.

She took a deep breath, then entered the office, shutting the door behind her.

"Ah, Jasmine! Perfect timing." Captain Black offered her a smile and gestured to the man standing next to him, "I'd like you to meet Jackie Chan. He's the friend I was telling you about."

Jasmine looked over at him. He was tall with a clearly athletic build and somewhat messy jet black hair. He wore a blue sweater, beige pants, and a pair of brown running shoes. His eyes were a warm brown, like the color of milk chocolate, but as he gazed at her they were hard and analytical. Distrusting...

Jasmine would have been lying if she had said that she was surprised to see the look, but even still... **it** **hurt**.

Breaking eye contact, Jasmine bowed politely, just as she had been taught when she was a child. "It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Jackie Chan." Straightening up, she held out her right hand for him to shake. "My name is Jasmine. Jasmine Heiwa."

Several minutes passed in awkward silence where all Jackie did was stare at her hand, making absolutely no move to take it. Glancing up at her, he asked, "Do you have the research that Captain Black mentioned?"

Jasmine clenched her fist and let it fall to her side. She then offered the binder, masking the stabbing pain she felt in her chest. "Y-yes, I have it here. Inside are copies of my notes, research materials, and the journal itself. If you need anything else you have but to ask."

Jackie accepted the binder and scanned through a few pages before turning to Captain Black. "I will get to work right away. I'll let you know when I find something."

With that said, Jackie brushed past Jasmine with the binder under his arm and left the room.

Captain Black gaped, flabbergasted by his normally polite friend's cold behavior. He turned to Jasmine. Her eyes were downcast and her face was set in an expressionless mask. He could only guess what was going through her mind. "Uh... Jasmine-"

"Sir, with all due respect, I'd like to get back to work now." she said abruptly, refusing to meet his gaze, "I will keep you posted if I come across any new information."

Jasmine left without waiting for him to respond. Right now, all she wanted was to get away.

* * *

"It..." she hesitated, "... went about as well as you would think."

Finn scowled. He had been around Jasmine long enough to understand what she meant by that. "He's acting like the rest of the stuck up jerks around here?"

She shrugged, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. "Given his family's history with demons, it's only natural that he'd be... cautious."

Cautious, yes. However, Jackie Chan had been outright cold to her. He had treated her like she was a criminal guilty of some horrible, inexcusable crime.

Finn growled. "That son of a-" He cut himself off. He wasn't in the habit of swearing and he didn't want to start now. Especially now when he was able to spend more time around his nephew. Finn didn't want Frank to pick up any bad habits from him.

"So it's wrong for demons to treat humans like garbage, but it's okay for **him** to treat **you** like garbage? Isn't that what you'd call a double standard?"

"... Technically... the way you described it... yes." she reluctantly agreed as they arrived at her room. She really didn't want to make a big deal about the issue.

 _"I'm probably being too sensitive about it, anyway."_ she thought.

Finn was still fuming as she unlocked her door. "That guy is such a self-righteous jerk." he said, following her inside and shutting the door behind him, "I mean, what does he even know about you anyway? Nothing! He doesn't know a **damn** **thing** about you!"

Jasmine paused. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she gave him a bittersweet smile, stopping his rant in its tracks. "Thank you." she told him, sincerity permeating her words, "It makes me truly happy to know that I have friends like you who care so much about my feelings and well being."

 _"For once in my life..."_

"But, please..." her hand dropped to her side, "don't get so upset or go picking fights on my behalf. It's just... not worth it."

Finn opened his mouth, looking like he was ready to argue for a moment. Then he sighed, his shoulders sagging as he smiled wearily. "Whatever you say, boss."

"Thank you." she said again, "Now, if you wouldn't mind, would you please make me some tea while I get to work?"

"Sure thing, boss. Your usual?"

"Yes, please."

Finn walked over to the kitchen area to prepare tea while Jasmine sat down at her desk. She had just barely gotten settled when she heard an odd metallic thunk come from underneath her desk. On a hunch, she pulled her chair out and looked down to find Jade crawling through the still open vent. Jade grinned, holding a pen in one hand and several papers in the other.

Jasmine's eyebrows shot up, "Jade?!"

The girl crawled out from under the desk and rose to her feet, spreading her arms out with flourish as if to say, "ta-dah". "Hey, Jazz." she greeted.

"Jazz?"

By this time Finn had heard the commotion and had walked over to find out what was going on. His green eyes widened as they fell on Jade. "You?! How'd you get in here?"

"The vent." both females answered in unison.

"Jade, what are you doing here?" Jasmine asked with a frown.

"You told me to see if I can figure out what kind of demon you are." she stated, as though the answer was obvious, "I brought some of my research. I wanted to ask you some questions to see if I could narrow it down."

"Didn't your uncle tell you to stay away from me?"

It was Jade's turn to be surprised. "How do **you** know about that?"

Jasmine smiled slyly, her amusement hiding the hurt she felt. "I **didn't**. **You** just **told** me."

She had been fishing. She had simply taken a stab in the dark based on Jackie Chan's reaction to her earlier. Jade's reaction confirmed her suspicions.

Her big brown eyes grew even wider, her hands flying to her mouth as she realized her mistake.

"Busted." Finn chuckled.

Jade grunted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Uncle Jackie is just being overprotective. He thinks you're "dangerous"." she rolled her eyes, clearly disgruntled, "But you're **not**. You're good. I **know** you are."

"How do you know?" Jasmine pressed, "How do you **know** that I truly mean you no harm? What makes you so **sure** that your uncle is wrong?"

She wasn't trying to dissuade the girl, she just wanted to make sure that she had a valid reason for her decision and that it wasn't based on blind trust. Blind trust was foolish and dangerous. Jasmine knew that from experience.

At first, Jade just stared long and hard into Jasmine's eyes, carefully thinking her answer over. Then, she pointed at the Pan-Ku Box. "You could touch the Pan-Ku Box. If you were evil, it would have burned you like it did Shendu."

"She's right, you know." Finn chimed in, "Shendu couldn't lay a finger on the box, even though he was using Big V's body."

"Besides," Jade continued, "bad guys don't get sad because other people don't like or trust them."

Jasmine stammered, "I-I don't know-"

"I saw how you looked last night." she clarified, "And I overheard you two talking just now."

The older woman ran a hand through her hair, "If your uncle finds you here you'll be in trouble, won't you? I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"Eh, trouble follows me." she said dismissively, "Besides, you're my friend."

Jasmine gave up trying to reason with the child. She could tell that she was just fighting a losing battle. Jade was both smart and determined. She could clearly see that there was nothing that she could say or do that was going to change the child's mind.

Jasmine rested her head in her hands, smiling as a tired chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh? I am, am I?"

"Yup. That's what I decided." she stated, matter-of-factly.

Jasmine chuckled, once again reminded of her little sister. "Well if you say it, then it must be true." she said, reaching out and ruffling Jade's hair.

Finn couldn't help but smile at the interaction. He also couldn't help but notice how uncharacteristically at ease his boss was with the girl despite knowing Jade for less than two days.

"You know, boss, I'm kinda jealous." Finn joked, "It took you four months to get used to me and the guys, but when short stuff here comes along, it's like you're old pals."

Jade gazed questioningly at Jasmine, "Four months?"

"It... takes me awhile to warm up to people."

"What makes me so special?"

"You... remind me of my little sister, Camille. You're about the same age and have similar personality traits. Clever, brave, determined," she shot Jade a pointed look, "mischievous."

Jade let out a nervous giggle. She opened her mouth to give some half-baked excuse, but was cut off by the shriek of the tea kettle. Finn withdrew into the kitchen to finish preparing the tea.

"Hey, small fry, you want any tea?" he called from the kitchen.

"No, thanks." she pouted, "And my name is Jade!"

Finn chuckled, the noise just barely audible over the sound of him rummaging through the cupboards.

Jade plopped down on the floor beside Jasmine's chair, readying her pen to write. "So do you mind if I ask you some questions while you work?"

"As if you'd really listen if I said no."

"See?" she beamed, "We already understand so much about each other."

* * *

From then on, Jade visited Jasmine daily to chat and ask her various questions to figure out what kind of demon she was.

* * *

"So, I was thinking..."

"That's dangerous." Jasmine teased.

"Don't **all** demons have better hearing than humans?"

"You catch on quickly." the older woman said with a smile, eyes still focused on her work, "Though some demons have better hearing than others."

"That doesn't really help narrow it down..."

"I know."

Jasmine laughed at Jade's exasperated groan.

* * *

"Okay, then are you a..." Jade squinted at her research, trying her best to figure out how to pronounce the Japanese names, "... a Yukey-anna?"

"Let me see." Jasmine had a feeling that she knew what Jade was trying to say, but she wanted to be sure. She handed the older woman the paper, watching as she snorted in amusement. "A Yuki-onna? You think that I'm a snow woman?" Jasmine asked, mirth twinkling in her magenta eyes, "I didn't think I was that cold."

"I'm guessing that's a no, then?" Jade asked as she was handed back her research.

"I'm afraid not. I'm more partial to fire than ice."

* * *

"I think I've got it this time!" Jade declared proudly, looking quite sure of herself.

"Oh, yeah?" Jasmine hadn't even looked up from her notes.

"Yeah! You're a J... Jora..." Jade struggled with the name on the paper for a few seconds before she got it right. "A Jorōgumo?"

Jasmine laughed, signaling to Jade that she had struck out once again. "Sorry to disappoint you, Jade, but I am no spider-woman. Though one **did** teach me how to play the koto when I was younger, among other stringed instruments. She's a very talented musician, which might have something to do with all of her extra arms..."

* * *

This continued for a period of two weeks. Everyday Jade would crawl through the vent with her research and pen, ask questions, take guesses, then leave when the hour grew late. It had become routine. Today, however, Jade immediately noticed a difference.

She crawled through the vent like usual, research and pen in hand, and stood with a grin to greet her friend. When she saw her, Jade's smile fell, her words dying in her throat.

Jasmine stood hunched over her desk, hands splayed across its surface. Her desk chair was lying on the floor behind her, as though she had gotten up too quickly and knocked it over. Her face was pale, much paler than usual, giving her the appearance of being ill. A myriad of emotions flashed through magenta eyes as they stared at the journal, but Jade mostly saw fear.

Jade spotted Finn standing off to the side, eyeing Jasmine with concern, and made her way over to him. "What's going on?" she whispered.

"Dunno." he replied, just as quiet, "But she's been like this for the past ten minutes."

"Uh... Jazz?" Jade tentatively called, "You okay?"

Jasmine jumped, startled, and turned to Jade and Finn with wild eyes. "... No." she responded, breathless, "No, I'm not. I... I need to speak to Captain Black immediately."

Jasmine hastily grabbed the Pan-Ku Box, the journal, and her notes and raced out of the room before either Finn or Jade could ask any more questions.

* * *

Jasmine completely ignored the existence of the other agents as she dashed through the halls, making a beeline for Captain Black's office. She couldn't care less about what they said or thought about her at the moment. She had more important things on her mind. When she reached Captain Black's office she didn't even bother with knocking, she just barged right in.

"Jasmine?" Captain Black rose to his feet, surprised by her sudden appearance.

Jackie Chan, who was also in the room, stared at Jasmine in shock as she shut the door and set the Pan-Ku Box on Captain Black's desk. He recalled his uncle's words about bad magic not being able to touch good. He could hardly believe that she could hold it without the box burning her. Jackie wondered if she was using some sort of trick to be able to wield it.

"Captain Black, I've made a breakthrough with the journal."

"I see..." he took his seat, lacing his fingers together as he braced himself for the worst, "How bad is it?"

"To fully understand, I'd have to explain to you a bit about this." Jasmine placed a finger atop the Pan-Ku Box. "Do you know why the Pan-Ku Box was created to be indestructible?"

Captain Black thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Inside the box is a core of pure good Chi, light magic. That light magic is what prevents the demon sorcerers in the Netherworld from using any means of escape. Before, only the box could be used to free them, though that option is no longer available, thanks to the doors being resealed."

"So the box was made to be indestructible to protect the core? Because the core is what keeps them there?" Jackie asked.

"Correct." Jasmine paused, troubled, "Now... whoever is behind this... they talk about corrupting the core of the Pan-Ku Box."

"Corrupting it? You mean with dark chi?" Jackie inquired, eyes wide at the thought.

"Yes. They believe that by corrupting it, Shendu and his siblings would be allowed to pass through the realms, along with who knows what else..."

The atmosphere was heavy as the weight of Jasmine's words sunk in.

"Do you... think it's possible?" Captain Black asked her.

She nodded slowly, her expression grim. "Theoretically... what they're suggesting **is** plausible, but in order to do so they would require a lot of magical power, and they're very aware of that. Which brings us to my next concern."

Jasmine laid the journal and her notes out on the desk. "The journal mentions trying to locate the Amulets of the Inari Thieves. The Inari Thieves were a group of demon thieves who stole magical artifacts led by an ancient and powerful demon sorceress named Himiko. Himiko created a magic amulet for each member of the group based on the phases of the moon as well as the solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse. Ten amulets together, each with a different power. Each was scattered to the wind when Himiko and the thieves disbanded."

"Any idea what the amulets do?" Captain Black asked.

Jasmine shook her head regretfully, her gaze falling to the floor. "Unfortunately, no. We have a book about the Inari Thieves in my family's library, but I never actually read it because it is written is a code designed by the Inari Thieves themselves. All I know is what my father has told me... I am sorry."

"How do we find the amulets?"

"Each amulet will require a locater spell, since they could be almost anywhere in the world at this point." Her eyes rose to meet Captain Black's, "But I **do** know where one of them is."

He quirked a brow, "You do?"

"Yes, around my mother's neck." she replied gravely, her voice barely above a whisper, "Father told me that it was an heirloom passed down through our family. He gave it to her on their anniversary one year and she never takes it off." Jasmine took a shaky breath and her tone became pleading, "Please, Captain Black, allow me to secure that amulet first. If I'm right, my mother's **life** could be in **danger**."

"Of course." he readily agreed, "I'll arrange a jet to fly you home immediately."

Jackie Chan rose to his feet and stated, "I'm coming with you."

Jasmine opened her mouth, ready to protest. She understood why he wanted to come. She could see it in his eyes. He didn't trust her. He didn't trust her to bring back the amulet. He thought that she was hiding something, that she had some trick up her sleeve. But it was too risky for him to come with her. She could only imagine what kind of **hell** would break loose if she returned to the compound with a human. Her family wouldn't mind, but the others in the compound...

"Good idea." Captain Black spoke up before Jasmine had the chance, "It'll give you two a chance to get used to working together. Be ready to leave within the hour."

Jasmine gazed at Captain Black, silently imploring him to change his mind, but he wouldn't budge. His word was final. She sighed in defeat and wearily replied, "Yes, sir..."

* * *

The flight was uncomfortable, to say the least. They weren't even halfway to their destination and despite bringing her CD player and headphones with her, Jasmine could not shake her usual nervousness that came with flying. To make matters worse, she could practically feel Jackie Chan's eyes boring into her, eyeing her warily as though she were a vicious, unpredictable wild animal. She tried to ignore, she really did, but somehow, she just couldn't.

Finally, Jasmine paused her CD. Slipping her headphones around her neck, she locked eyes with the only other passenger on the jet. She forced herself to maintain eye contact as she addressed the elephant that had been in the room since the day they first met. "You don't trust me." It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

He regarded her silently for a few moments before shaking his head, "No, I do not."

Jasmine gripped her armrest tightly, the words cutting through her like a knife. She didn't need to ask why. She already knew. It was her heritage. The reason why people treated her so poorly was always because of her **damn** **heritage**.

Normally, she would have left the conversation at that. Regardless of what she said or did, people never changed their minds. They never cared.

This time, though, something was different. Perhaps Finn and the others were rubbing off on her. Whatever the reason, Jasmine felt the need to speak up. She felt the need to defend herself. The words quickly made their way to the tip of her tongue.

"I..." she struggled at first, "I didn't... **choose** this. I didn't... **choose** to be this way. I was **born** this way. I had no say in it. Just like you had no say in being born a human."

Jackie was visibly stunned by her words, looking as though she had physically struck him. Whatever he had expected her to say, **that** clearly hadn't been it.

Having said what she wanted to say, she slipped her headphones back on. Hitting the "play" button on her CD player, Jasmine closed her eyes and slept for the rest of the flight.

* * *

 **Alright, so if you enjoyed this chapter I would love to hear what you think. And if you have any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, so next chapter is actually going to have some violence in it. I knew it was coming so I should have just posted this as M to begin with. Sorry about that.**

 **TheWhisperingWarrior : ****I'm glad that you like it! There is dialogue in the show to suggest that Jackie wouldn't exactly welcome a demon with open arms and with everything that Section 13 has dealt with, I figure that most of the agents would be wary.**

 **Guest : ****Don't worry. I have plenty more chapters planned for this story. I'm glad you like it!**

 **GrimmaulDee:** **Thanks! There's just something about Jade, you can't help but like her, you know? I'm glad that you like Jasmine. Of all of the characters I've ever made, I think I put the most work into her.**

* * *

When Jasmine opened her eyes again, the jet had landed in a very familiar forest clearing. Wordlessly, both she and Jackie unloaded their luggage from the aircraft, placing the bags on the ground outside. Once all the bags were removed, Jasmine signaled to the pilot that they were clear for takeoff. They then watched as the jet ascended and flew out of sight.

Jasmine picked up her bag, "The pilot will be back tomorrow evening. That should give us enough time to get the amulet and scour the family library for that book on the Inari Thieves. I believe that it will be of use to us."

Jasmine had just started forward when Jackie's voice called out. "Where are you going?"

She glanced back at him as he picked up his two suitcases. "If we go north from here, we'll get to the compound shortly."

"But, what about your other bag?"

Jackie gestured to a lone red and yellow duffle bag lying on the ground. She had unloaded the bag from the jet, but it didn't belong to her.

"I thought... Is that not **your** bag?"

The two exchanged puzzled stares. Aside from the pilot, who made it very clear that he didn't want to stick around any longer than necessary, they had been the only ones on the jet. If the bag didn't belong to either of them, then where did it come from?

Kneeling down next to the bag, Jackie slowly and cautiously pulled the zipper open. Out popped the person the two of them least expected to see, though in hindsight, they should have anticipated it.

"Hi, Jackie!" Jade yelled as she jumped out, grinning widely.

"Bwaaah!" Startled, Jackie fell backwards, one hand patting his chest to make sure his heart was still beating.

"Jade!" Jasmine's voice was stern as she called the girl's name, "What are you **doing** here?"

"I wanted to see where you grew up."

"Jade, I told you to stay with Uncle!"

"Hellooo, you never said **which** uncle." she pointed out.

For a moment, he could only gape at her. He then covered his face with his hands, muttering words of exasperation under his breath.

Jasmine quickly marched over to Jade and knelt down beside her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she forced the young girl to look her in the eyes. "Jade," she began, her voice more serious than she had ever heard it, "while you are here, you must **not** wander off alone. My family and I may be accepting of humans, but I cannot speak for the rest of the demons at the compound. Promise me that you will not wander off by yourself."

"Jazz-"

"Promise me!" she pressed.

There was a fierceness in her magenta eyes that Jade was not accustomed to, along with traces of fear. Jade found herself nodding, the urgency in Jasmine's voice compelling her to do so. "I promise."

A gush of air rushed past Jasmine's lips, a sigh of relief. Seeing the worry on Jade's face, she reached out and gently ruffled the girl's hair, offering her a shaky smile despite the sinking feeling she had in the pit of her stomach.

Jackie silently watched the interaction with interest. It seemed to him that Jasmine was **genuinely** concerned for Jade's safety. But why would she care? The words she had spoken to him on the jet ran through his mind.

 _"I didn't_ _ **choose**_ _... to be this way."_

Shaking the thought from his head, Jackie picked up his bags.

"Lady Jasmine!"

The group of three turned to see a young man rushing towards them from the trees. He had maroon irises and there was a welcoming smile stretched across his pale face. He had short black hair as well as, to Jackie's shock and Jade's amazement, two large black feathered wings sprouting from his back. With the clothes he was wearing, the man looked as though he had come from a different time period. He wore a black kimono, the white neckband of his juban peeking out from under its collar. He also wore grey hakama, white tabi socks, and geta sandals.

"Lady Jasmine!" he said again once he was closer, "It's so very good to see you again!"

"Likewise, Haruto." she replied, returning his smile, "How are your wounds? Did the battle with the shikigami leave you with any scars?"

"No, thanks to Lady Hanako. Her potions and salves are second to none." He paused, taking notice of Jackie and Jade for the first time. "Lady Jasmine, are these guests of yours?"

Jasmine stepped back, giving apologetic looks to those around her. "Forgive me for my lack of manners. Jade... Mr. Chan, this is Haruto." she gestured to the winged man, "He is my father's most trusted butler and has been in his employ for a very long time."

Haruto bowed politely, "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Haruto, this is Mr. Jackie Chan. He is... an acquaintance... and will be working with me on the encrypted journal."

The butler straightened up and narrowed his eyes at Jackie. Haruto had watched Jasmine grow up, so he was very familiar with her mannerisms. The formal, but detached way she was speaking indicated that she did not feel comfortable around this Jackie Chan for whatever reason. He gave the human a once-over, scrutinizing him. Maroon eyes locked onto brown ones, issuing a silent threat for Jackie to watch his step.

"I see..." was all Haruto said, his tone doing nothing to disguise his displeasure.

Jackie took a cautious step back.

Jasmine sensed the mood and quickly moved on. "And this is Jade Chan. She's Jackie's niece and-"

"And I'm Jazz's new best friend!" Jade proudly interjected.

Haruto cast Jasmine an amused glance. "Jazz?"

"It was her idea."

The butler knelt down so that he was eye level with Jade, giving her a much kinder expression than he had given Jackie. "So, you are Lady Jasmine's new best friend, are you?"

"Yup, that's right. Say..." Jade trailed off, peeking over Haruto's shoulder to try to get a good look at his wings, "What kind of demon are you?"

"Jade!" Jackie scolded, clearly embarrassed by her bluntness.

Haruto merely chuckled, delighted. "She's very forthright, isn't she?" he asked Jasmine.

"Yes, and curious. It's... refreshing."

"I agree." Haruto smiled at Jade, "Young one, I am a Tengu."

Tengu. She remembered reading about them during her research, but...

"How come you don't have a funny face or a long nose?"

"Jade!" Jackie hissed again.

"People's minds play tricks on them when they are frightened. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, they can't see things as they really are. Because of that, myths and legends about demons or other creatures can become exaggerated or even distorted." Haruto shrugged, smiling playfully at the young girl, "Or perhaps the first Tengu to be seen by humans really did have a long nose and a funny face. Who can say?"

Jade laughed.

Jasmine turned to Haruto, her face a little more serious now, "As nice as this is, we should really be getting to the house now."

He nodded, "Of course. I'll escort you."

Picking up their bags, the group of three followed the butler into the dense forest.

"Your father sends his apologies, by the way." Haruto said to Jasmine, "Lord Daisuke wanted to meet you here when he heard you were returning home, but he's been very busy with his investigation. He said that he should be able to make it back to the house by nightfall, though."

"It's fine. With all that's going on, the investigation should take precedence." Jasmine paused, thinking for a moment, "How is Camille?"

"As rambunctious and adventurous as ever. She keeps all of us on our toes." he chuckled, "She often says that she misses you, but she spends most of her time either playing outside in the garden or crocheting. She's become very skilled."

"That's good to hear. And how is Aunt Chihiro?"

"She's doing well. These days, most of her time is spent learning healing magic from your grandmother, Lady Hanako. She frequently asks about you. As does Lady Hanako."

"She **does**?" Jasmine couldn't mask her surprise even if she tried.

Jasmine had always been close to her Aunt Chihiro, her father's younger sister. She could remember very vividly watching her perform spells and create potions as a child. Her aunt was very talented and was always very kind and patient with her. Most of what she knew about magic she had learned from her Aunt Chihiro. It wasn't surprising to hear that she was concerned for her wellbeing.

Her grandmother, Hanako, on the other hand, was an entirely different story. She was her aunt and father's mother and the oldest demon at the compound. Her magical abilities were regarded as the best and she had a presence that commanded respect. However, her grandmother was also very strict and stern. She could not recall a single instance in which the woman had smiled at her. All of Jasmine's memories of her involved her grandmother yelling at or criticizing her, like nothing she ever did was good enough. To hear that her grandmother was even slightly concerned for her was a shock to say the least.

"Lady Jasmine, I know that Lady Hanako is... hard on you, but believe me when I say that she truly does love you."

Jasmine still had her doubts, but chose to drop the subject. Instead she asked, "How is mom?"

Haruto laughed heartily, "Lady Rin? She's as energetic and lively as always, despite being seven months pregnant. The staff has been begging her to just rest, but she'll have none of that."

Jasmine smiled fondly to herself, surprising Jackie. It was a warm, loving expression that he had not thought a demon capable of. Again, her words from the jet echoed in his head, followed by Agent Smith's accusations of her being a **monster** , a **beast**.

 _"But... is she really?"_ he thought to himself. He was beginning to have his doubts.

"Yes, that sounds like mom." Jasmine said, "That's probably where Camille gets it from."

"Agreed. Lady Rin was overjoyed when she heard that you were returning for a visit. She's missed you so." Haruto told her, "Though she could hardly believe it when I told her that you had cut and dyed your hair. She'll be surprised to see how much you've changed in such a short amount of time."

Jade glanced at Jasmine, then at the butler. "So what was her hair like before?"

"Lady Jasmine had the most beautiful hair. It was perfectly straight and cascaded down her back, and was as white as freshly fallen snow, just like her father's used to be."

"Yes, well, let's be realistic here. I'm running around, fighting enemies, and short hair is convenient and low maintenance." she reasoned.

"Why dye it, then?" Jade asked.

"Dye is too much of a pain, I used magic to make it this color. Besides," she shot her a smile, "I like purple."

Haruto came to a sudden stop, the others following suit. Jade and Jackie looked around, but saw nothing but trees.

"Why are we stopping here?" Jackie asked, suspicion lacing his words.

The Tengu merely gave him a knowing, almost smug smirk. Instead of answering him, Haruto turned to Jasmine. "Lady Jasmine, would you like to do the honors?"

"Alright." she nodded, allowing the butler to hold her bag for her.

Jackie and Jade watched Jasmine silently, intently. Jasmine slowly inhaled, shutting her eyes. She held her breath for a few seconds, then released it. When she opened her eyes again they were glowing and her hair began floating around her as if being blown about by the wind. She raised her right hand in the air and steadily rotated her arm clockwise in a large circle. As she did this, a trail of multicolored light appeared opposite of her, following her movements. She mouthed words that neither Jackie or Jade recognized as she completed the circle of light. The light glowed intensely for a few seconds before fading into nothing.

For a moment, nothing happened. Before Jackie could ask what was going on, the scenery around them suddenly began to shift. In front of them, the flat dirt path gradually morphed and disappeared, as if it had just been a projection or illusion. A long flight of stone steps took its place, the top of a red torii gate just barely visible from their spot at the bottom of the stairs.

Jasmine blinked, her eyes stopped glowing. Taking her bag back from Haruto, she turned back to her guests. Jade's expression could only be described as pure amazement as she gazed wide eyed up at Jasmine, grinning. Jackie was, understandably, slack-jawed. Jasmine nervously tucked a strand of lavender hair behind her ear, forcing a smile despite her discomfort.

She gestured to the stairs, "Shall we continue?"

Haruto glanced back at Jackie and almost innocently said, "Mr. Chan, you may wish to close your mouth before you attract insects."

Jackie's jaw audibly snapped shut as they followed Haruto up the stairs.

"Jazz," Jade began, barely containing her excitement, "That. Was so. **Cool**!"

"It... was nothing." she replied, smiling bashfully.

Jackie finally managed to find his voice. "I don't understand. What **was** that?"

"Well... the compound... it kind of exists between two planes, and the entrances are sealed by magic. This prevents anyone from simply wandering in."

"It also prevents helicopters, satellites, and the like from spotting the compound overhead." Haruto added.

"Wow." Jade said, "You guys thought of everything."

"We tried." he told her, smiling.

The group paused when they reached the top of the stairs. Before them was a large, grassy garden, complete with a koi pond and a tall cherry blossom tree, its flowers in full bloom. Just beyond the garden was a huge Japanese styled home with a porch that seemed to wrap around the building.

Jasmine stared at the house that she grew up in, feeling both nostalgic... and apprehensive. She felt torn. Sure, she had plenty of happy memories of her loving family and the kind staff that worked for them here, but she also had plenty of... unpleasant memories here. Memories that she didn't care to remember, but was unable to forget.

Her grip on her bag tightened. She told herself that they didn't need to go any further into the compound. They just needed to get the amulet and the book on the Inari Thieves, and then they could leave. No one else besides her family and the staff would have to know that she had briefly returned. She wanted to believe that, but she had a feeling that things wouldn't be that simple. Things were **never** that simple. Not for **her**.

Taking a deep breath, Jasmine mentally braced herself. She walked towards the porch, the others following. Jade and Jackie watched as Haruto and Jasmine sat on the porch's edge to remove their shoes.

"You're going to need to take off your shoes." Jasmine explained to them. She turned and pointed to a row of slippers lined up by the door. "Shoes aren't allowed to be worn in the house. You'll both have to put on a pair of house slippers."

Jade looked up at her uncle and shrugged, and the two did as they were told. Once everyone was ready, Jasmine opened the sliding door that led to the living room.

The living room was quite spacious and simple in design. There was a couch that could seat three people comfortably, an old wooden coffee table in front of it, and two armchairs facing opposite each other on either side. The focal point of the room seemed to be an old brick fireplace that had two wide bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling on either side. Mounted above the fireplace was what appeared to be a sort of family crest.

The crest depicted a fox draped over the edge of a crescent moon. The fox's body was made of white opal, it's narrow eyes made of red diamonds. The crescent moon was made of pure sapphire and the whole thing was mounted on a slab of obsidian, the black stone imitating the night sky.

Jasmine stepped inside and set her bag down, curious. She didn't see or hear anyone, which was unusual because of the time of day it was and also because she had called ahead to let her family know that she was coming.

"Hello?" she called out, "Mom? Camille? I'm hoooome!"

Silence. Then she heard it. It was quiet at first, but quickly grew louder. The thump of footsteps rapidly racing towards her. In a matter of seconds, a small blur of black and red sped into the room and launched itself at Jasmine. Caught off guard, Jasmine only had enough time to utter a sound of surprise before she was knocked to the floor by the creature.

"Oneechan!"

"Ow..."

The "creature" that had "attacked" Jasmine was actually just a young girl no older than Jade. She was pale with long, straight black hair that stretched the length of her back and magenta eyes just like Jasmine's. She wore a crimson kimono that was embroidered with cherry blossoms, cherry blossom petals, and branches. But the strangest thing about her was that the girl was sporting a pair of pointy black furry ears atop her head, a black bushy tail, and a furry pair of animal legs, like those of a fox.

"Oh, dear." Haruto failed to stifle his laughter, "Lady Camille, was that entirely necessary?"

"Yup!" the girl chirped, happily nuzzling Jasmine's neck.

 _"This is Jazz's sister?"_ Instantly, something clicked in Jade's mind and she grinned. "I got it now! Jazz, you're a... a..." she struggled to recall the term she had come across during her research, "a Kitsune!"

Jasmine gave the child a blank stare. "Um... That's cheating, I think."

"A what?" Jackie asked, looking to his niece for an explanation.

"A Kitsune." she repeated, preparing to recite her findings, "In Japanese folk lore, they're depicted as intelligent fox spirits that have great magical power that increases with their age and wisdom. They can have up to nine tails and the more tails they have, the older and wiser they are. But Japanese fox myths actually originate from Chinese mythology, coming from Chinese folk tales of fox spirits called húli jīng." When she finished, she placed her hands on her hips, looking quite pleased with herself.

"... Why do you know that?"

"Jazz told me to figure out what kind of demon she is, so I did research and asked her questions."

"Wait, you've been going to visit her?" he asked in a stern tone, his eyes narrowed, "After what I told you?"

"Oops..." Jade covered her mouth, realizing her mistake a moment too late.

Sensing an argument, Jasmine sat up with a grunt, her sister's arms still wrapped securely around her neck. She turned to Jackie, her expression pleading. "Please, don't be angry with Jade. It's my fault. I had guessed that you told her to stay away, but I did nothing to prevent her from coming. If you're going to be angry at anyone, it should be me."

Jackie gaped. Jasmine's head was bowed, her eyes downcast, as though she expected him to start yelling at her. Camille was glowering at him from over her sister's shoulder, looking as menacing as any twelve year old could be. He could feel Haruto giving him the evil eye, and Jade was staring sadly at the floor. Jackie sighed.

If Jade really had been visiting Jasmine, it was obvious that she had not done his niece any harm, despite what Agent Smith had said. Jackie sighed again, scratching the back of his head.

"No, it's... fine." he told Jasmine, stunning her. Jackie turned back to Jade, "More importantly, why don't you put that much effort into your studies?"

"School work isn't as interesting." she stated, like it was a perfectly acceptable answer.

"That is not the point!"

It was at this time that Camille decided to detach herself from her sister and approached their guests. "Who are you?"

"Lady Camille, this is Jackie Chan and Jade Chan. Mr. Chan is working with your sister and Jade-san is his niece."

Camille gazed up at Jackie questioningly, "Your family name is Chan?"

"Yes..."

"That's funny!" Camille giggled, "Should I call you Chan-chan?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, she's referring to the Japanese honorific "chan", which is spelled exactly like your last name and sounds similar." Jasmine explained, smiling as she remembered thinking the same thing when she read the reports. "Japanese honorifics are like English title prefixes, like miss or sir. But no, Camille, you should not call him Chan-chan. Unless he specifies otherwise, you should call him Chan-san or Mr. Chan. He has defeated Shendu and Tarakudo and deserves respect."

Jackie shifted uneasily as Camille stared up at him in wonder. Jasmine's comment about paying him respect had him feeling self-conscious due to the fact that he had not done the same for her.

" **You** defeated Tarakudo?"

"I, uh... had help."

"Yeah, from me!" Jade told her, "I'm the one who put the magic mask on his ugly oni face!"

"Really?" Camille grabbed Jade's hand, grinning, "Please, tell me all about it!"

"Sure!"

Camille excitedly led Jade out into the garden before anyone could protest.

"I see that she's as easily distracted as ever." Jasmine threw a concerned look at Haruto, "Someone will be keeping an eye on them, yes?" She was well aware of the trouble Camille could get into on her own, she didn't want to entertain the idea of what could happen now that Jade was thrown into the mix.

"I will go alert the staff." Haruto sighed wearily as he left the room, having the same thought Jasmine did.

"I'm sorry about that." Jasmine told Jackie as she picked herself up off the floor. "Camille is a little whirlwind of energy and once she gets going it's nearly impossible to stop her. And it's not often that she gets to play with someone her own age."

That statement struck him as odd. Surely there were other demon children at the compound. The way Captain Black had described it to him, he was certain that there were other families of demons besides Jasmine's. Jackie opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, but never got the chance.

At that moment, another figure bolted into the room and threw themselves at Jasmine. This time Jasmine staggered, but did not fall.

This time her "assailant" was a very pregnant young woman. The woman had pale skin, long black hair that traveled the length of her back, and warm brown eyes. She wore a sleeveless blue sundress. There was an ornate necklace with clear blue beads and a pendant with a waxing crescent moon depicted on it around her slender neck.

"Jasmine!" the woman cried happily.

"Mother!" Jasmine cried back, not nearly as happily, " **What** are you **doing**?!"

Jackie did a double take. **This** was Jasmine's **mother**? She barely looked old enough to be Camille's mother, let alone Jasmine's.

The woman took a step back and cupped her daughter's face with both of her hands, smiling. "Oh, look at you! You've changed so much!"

"Mother, you are seven months pregnant! You shouldn't be throwing yourself around like that! What if I hadn't caught you properly?" Jasmine lectured.

"And these clothes are an interesting choice. I never would have pictured you as goth or punk, but it suits you. I went through that phase when I was younger. I just wish you had thrown a little more color in here. You look so pretty in blue."

"Mother, pay attention! You can't afford to be so reckless right now! Please consider the safety of your unborn child!"

"Oh, and your hair! When Haruto first told me that you cut it, I almost cried. But this is so pretty! You look so mature and the color really brings out your eyes."

"And another thing! You were told that you should take it easy because of the baby, but Haruto tells me that you haven't been doing that! You should be resting, not running around the house like a deranged toddler!"

 _"They're having two completely different conversations."_ Jackie thought to himself, mildly amused. He had a feeling that this was normal for the two. It was strange watching them together. They looked and sounded just like any other family.

It was then that the pregnant woman noticed him standing there. Releasing her daughter, she padded over to him, ignoring Jasmine yelling for her to listen to her. The woman gave him a quick once-over, then glanced at her daughter with a grin. "Jasmine, is this your boyfriend?"

Jasmine and Jackie's faces burned bright red.

" **Mother**!" she sputtered, "He is a **colleague**!"

The woman pouted, "Really? What a shame. I'd like to have grandchildren soon."

"You're pregnant!" Jasmine hissed, indignant, "What do you need grandchildren for?!"

"You can never have too many little ones running around." She turned back to Jackie, "And you are?"

"Jackie. Jackie Chan, Miss..."

"Oh, you can just call me Rin." she told him, her voice chipper, "No need for formalities. Too much of that around here as it is. So, Jackie, what do you think of my daughter?"

Jackie struggled for a response, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. He felt awkward. He didn't want to tell her that he didn't trust her daughter because she was a demon, but he didn't want to be rude and not answer either. He was stuck. "Uh..."

"You don't have to answer that!" Jasmine shouted, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Are you single, Jackie? My daughter's single and I think that it would be good for her to have a nice man in her life like you." She paused and glanced at Jasmine, "Unless, of course, it's not men that she likes..."

"That's it!" Jasmine grabbed Jackie's arm and hastily began leading him out of the room. "As nice as this has been, mother, we need to get to the library! We can talk more later! Please have the staff take the luggage to our rooms!"

"Okay! Have fun! See you at dinner!" she called out to the two.

Jasmine silently led Jackie through a series of long hallways, blushing to the roots of her lavender hair. That was something else that Jackie found odd. He had never seen a demon blush or become so flustered. It was... a very human thing. He was briefly reminded that Jasmine was only half-demon and wondered if that had anything to do with it or if maybe, just maybe, he was wrong.

Once they made it to the library, Jasmine shut the door behind them and finally let go of Jackie. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm... **really** sorry about that." She stared at the floor, wishing that it would open up and swallow her whole to spare her the embarrassment. "Mom is... special. I swear, she can't interact with normal people at all."

"It's... fine." Jackie responded, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, "But what about the amulet?"

"We can get it from her at dinner, once she's had a chance to calm down." Jasmine gestured to the massive library surrounding them, "For now, let's just focus on finding the book on the Inari Thieves."

* * *

"Inari is mentioned a lot in many of these books." Jackie commented, scaling a ladder to get to a higher shelf.

The two had been in the library for a little over two hours searching for the book, occasionally exchanging words when necessary. Jasmine had to admit, it was a step up from before when he would barely acknowledge her existence. At least now he was being civil.

"That's because Inari is also the name of a god. Inari is the Shinto god of foxes, among other things. The Inari Thieves likely chose that name because their group was comprised solely of Kitsune."

"I see..."

Jasmine scanned through another bookshelf and was just about to move on when she spotted a royal blue book with gold ornate patterns on the spine. She pulled it off of the shelf and grinned. There was a gold crescent moon on the cover along with the Japanese kanji for "Inari Thieves".

"I found it!"

Jackie jumped down from the ladder and peered over her shoulder as she opened the book.

"These symbols look identical to the ones in the journal." Jackie observed.

"The Inari Thieves developed their own unique code to deliver messages amongst their group, which means whoever wrote the journal is familiar with that code." Jasmine mused, "This person may already know what the amulets do and where they are, then. That puts us at a disadvantage..."

"Let's split the work." he suggested, "You can continue working on the journal and I'll focus on deciphering this book."

"Very well."

Just as she handed the book to him, the library door flew open. A woman Jasmine recognized as one of the family's maids came rushing towards them, distraught and out of breath.

The woman's flesh was covered in shimmering golden scales. There were gills on her neck and small fins on the sides of her head where her ears would have been. She had long blond hair tied back in a ponytail and wide ocean blue eyes. She was dressed in a blue kimono decorated with white flowers.

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Jasmine's stomach and dread clawed at her heart as she took in the maid's haggard appearance. "Ayaka," she was afraid to ask, "what's wrong?"

"The... the children!" she panted in her quiet voice, "Jade-san and Lady Camille... they were playing with... Lord Tsuyoshi's youngest son."

"Susumu?" Jasmine asked, panic rising within her. She had a feeling that she already knew what happened.

"Yes. Then, Lord Tadashi saw them together and became furious! He said that his brother shouldn't be associating with... a human and a hanyou." Ayaka continued, "He then... began to speak ill of you, Lady Jasmine. I know... that for whatever reason, you have forbade the staff and Lady Camille from speaking out on your behalf... But the human girl, Jade-san, she wouldn't stand for it. She's arguing with him right now and she's... she's challenged him to a duel!"

"What?!" Jackie shouted.

Jasmine blanched, fear threatening to consume her. "Ayaka, where are they?"

"Out front."

She didn't waste another second. Jasmine booked it for the front entrance, Jackie following close behind.

* * *

By the time they arrived, the scene had already attracted a lot of attention. In the center of the commotion were Camille, Jade, Susumu, and Tadashi.

Jade glared up at Tadashi, her hands balled into fists like she was ready to fight him. Camille stood just behind her, wide eyed and fearful.

Standing opposite of them were Tadashi and Susumu. Susumu was a young boy about Camille's age with pale skin, short silver hair, and wide golden eyes. He was an Inugami, and as such had a pair of dog ears on his head and a tail. He was dressed in a plain black kimono, a red juban, white tabi socks, and geta sandals. He looked both frightened and apologetic as he gazed at Camille from behind his older brother.

Tadashi was Jasmine's age and looked very much like his younger brother. The only difference was that there were crimson markings on Tadashi's face and he was wearing black hakama with his kimono.

As they drew closer to the children, Jasmine had to stop herself from recoiling when Tadashi's sneer was redirected at her.

Tadashi Sasaki was the oldest son of Tsuyoshi Sasaki, head of the Sasaki household. For as long as she could remember, the Sasaki house had always been at odds with the Heiwa house. Tsuyoshi had never agreed with her father's practices, but he wasn't strong enough to challenge him for leadership of the compound. Instead, he passed his prejudice on to Tadashi, teaching him to hate humans and half-breeds because he believed them to be weak and inferior.

All throughout her childhood, Tadashi had relentlessly antagonized her. As her father's oldest child, leading the compound would one day fall to her. Because of this, Tsuyoshi put it into Tadashi's head that he had to be better than Jasmine, so that he could one day take leadership of the compound.

"Ah, Jasmine-sama, how nice of you to grace us with your presence."

She realized that he was using the honorific sarcastically, but chose not to comment on it. "Lord Tadashi, what is the meaning of this?" she asked, trying to be cordial and polite.

"He's being a jerk!" Jade shouted, pointing a finger at him, "We were playing tag and minding our own business when he showed up and started yelling at Camille!"

"You **vermin** were touching my brother, that makes it my business." he replied before turning to Jasmine, his arms crossed over his chest, "If you want to allow **filth** into your home, that's fine, but keep them and your hanyou sister away from my family."

"And what is Lord Susumu's opinion in all of this?" she asked, noting that the boy had yet to speak up.

Susumu gazed up at her, surprised. He opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced by his older brother.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tadashi sneered haughtily, "His opinion is that you should be keeping these **parasites** away from him. Now I'll have to take care of pest control."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at the demon, not liking what he was alluding to. "You can't possibly mean..."

"This **vermin** challenged me to a duel." he grinned malevolently.

A wave of disbelief washed over her. "You can't possibly be serious!"

"You know the rules. My honor is at stake. How can I decline?"

"She's a **child**!" Jasmine argued, "And an outsider at that! She doesn't understand the consequences of such a battle!"

"That's not really my problem, Jasmine-sama." he flippantly responded, "Of course, because she **is** so young, someone else could always take her place and fight for her..."

Jasmine's eyes widened, realizing what Tadashi's endgame was. Anger and disgust raged within her and she glowered at him, infuriated that he would drag innocent children into his underhanded scheme.

"I will fight for Jade." Jackie volunteered, openly glaring at Tadashi.

"No! I will fight!" Jasmine stated fiercely, her eyes never leaving Tadashi's, "Since my father is not currently in the compound, the role of leader falls to me. The rules clearly state that as leader, I may take the place of anyone in a duel. So I will fight for Jade."

"Are you certain you wish to do that, Jasmine-sama?"

The fury she felt gave her a sense of confidence that she was unfamiliar with during such confrontations. "Yes, I am. But you're free to decline if you're frightened, Tadashi-chan."

Tadashi's smirk dissolved into a scowl. "I see that your time amongst humans has made you arrogant. Very well, we'll meet in the arena tonight at sunset. Don't be late."

Jasmine watched as Tadashi grabbed his brother's arm and led him back to their home. Susumu cast a worried glance over his shoulder before they disappeared into the crowd. Once he was gone, Jasmine silently led Camille, Jade, and Jackie back to the Heiwa household.

* * *

When they returned, the group found Haruto, Ayaka, Rin, and another woman that Jackie and Jade had yet to meet waiting for them in the entrance hall.

The new woman was tall with grey skin and jet black hair tied up in a bun. She had six eyes, five of them pure black and one which was milky white with a scar running through it. Two sharp fangs poked out of the corner of her mouth and she had six arms tucked into the sleeves of her kimono. The kimono was a deep purple and was decorated with dark pink flowers.

The air was heavy and no one dared to speak for what seemed like hours. After Jasmine had left, Ayaka had informed the rest of the household about the situation. They were all afraid to ask about the outcome.

Finally, Rin gathered her courage and asked, "What happened?"

"Jade unknowingly challenged Tadashi to a duel." Jasmine's voice was devoid of emotion, like a prisoner sitting on death row who had finally accepted their fate, "I couldn't let her fight him, so I took her place."

The color slowly drained from Rin's face. She began wringing her hands together. "When?" she managed to ask, despite the lump in her throat.

"Tonight, at sunset."

Rin gasped, her legs threatening to give out on her. "But... that only gives you a few hours!"

Jasmine nodded solemnly, "I know." Her gaze turned to Haruto, "Please go inform my father of what's going on. He'll need to be here in case... something happens."

"R-right away." he said, dashing out of the house.

"If the rest of you will excuse me, I must go prepare."

As Jasmine began walking away, there was a tug on her pant leg. It was Camille, staring up at her sister with large, teary magenta eyes.

"Promise that you'll come back!" she demanded.

Jasmine flinched and grimaced, hesitant to respond. She knelt down in front of Camille and ruffled the young girl's hair. There was a smile on her face, but it was a pained one, and her eyes were hollow. "You know, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you. I'm really proud of you. You always work so hard and never give up. You're so strong for one so young."

"Jasmine, please!" Camille begged, her tears about to fall, "Promise me that you'll come back!"

"I love you **so** much." Jasmine continued, her eyes reflecting a hint of sorrow, "Mom and dad love you very much too. Remember to be a good girl when I'm gone."

Camille was crying now, "Jasmine, please, promise me! Promise me!"

Jasmine rose to her feet and looked at the six armed woman, "Fujiko, will you and Ayaka watch over the children? I don't want them to see the battle."

"No! Jasmine! Oneechan!" Camille sobbed, latching onto her sister's leg.

"As you wish." Fujiko gently pried the young fox off of Jasmine and trapped her in her arms so Camille couldn't escape.

"Thank you."

Camille wailed after her sister until she was no longer in sight, flailing in a useless attempt to get free. When Jasmine was gone, Camille went limp and settled for sobbing into Fujiko's kimono. The older woman rubbed her back in small circles to try to soothe her.

"S-she wouldn't... p-promise me..."

Jackie and Jade watched on in confusion, not fully understanding what was going on. Jade walked over to Rin, who appeared to be on the verge of tears herself.

"Why wouldn't Jazz promise to come back?"

"Kitsune are bound by the promises they make." Rin explained, wiping at her eyes, "So they're not in the habit of making promises they're not sure they can keep."

Jade and Jackie shared a troubled look. "Why would Jasmine not be sure if she will return?" Jackie dared to ask.

Rin tried to swallow the lump in her throat before answering. "A duel among demons is not something to be taken lightly. It's a brutal no-holds-barred. The winner may claim anything they'd like from the loser. In Tadashi's case, he'll likely want to seize leadership of the compound."

"That's terrible!" Jade said.

"That's not the worst part, I'm afraid. If Jasmine loses the duel..." Rin paused, choking back a sob as the tears finally fell, "she will be killed."

* * *

 **Okay, so I tried to be as accurate as possible with all of the Japanese stuff, but I apologize if something's off.**

 **1\. So for Haruto's clothing, if any of you have seen Bleach you'll have a better idea of how that looks.**

 **2\. As for Japanese suffix's, if I understand correctly, the term "-chan" is typically used for small children and good female friends. To use it for an adult and especially one that you aren't on familiar terms with can be seen as insulting, like you're talking down to them.**

 **3\. The suffix "-san" roughly translates to "Mr." or "Ms.".**

 **4\. The suffix "-sama" is the most formal honorific and is typically used for God or royalty, but can also be used to flatter people or be used sarcastically.**

 **5\. For the most part, all of the things about Kitsune in this fic are true to their lore, including being bound by their promises. There is a reason why I chose the main character to be a Kitsune.**

 **So, let me know what you think. If you have any questions, as usual, I'll be happy to answer them.**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, just a heads up, there's violence and some cursing in this chapter. Also, I'm not very good with fight scenes, but I did my best so I'd like to hear what you think. That's also why writing this took so long.**

 **TheWhisperingWarrior:** **Don't worry, Jackie will come around. He may be stubborn sometimes, but he's not a jerk.**

 **goldenpurple:** **I was so happy to hear that it feels like a JCA episode, because that's kind of what I was going for. Also, don't worry about Jasmine, Kitsune are known for being clever after all.**

 **GrimmaulDee:** **I know, Jackie should just stop fighting Jade at this point. And mom isn't done embarrassing just yet!**

* * *

"But Jackie, you have to take us with you!" Jade whined, gesturing to Camille and herself, "Jazz is my friend and Cam's sister, we **have** to be there for her!"

Jackie shook his head and rolled his eyes. With a sigh, he crossed his arms over his chest.

It was about an hour until sunset and he, Jade, Camille, and Ayaka were all gathered in Camille's bedroom.

Camille's room was rather large for a girl her age, but then again, Jackie supposed that she did hail from what seemed to be a very powerful and prosperous family. There was a queen sized bed covered in red bed sheets, a couple of bookshelves that reached the ceiling, a rocking chair, and a desk by the bed that appeared to be used for Camille's studies as well as other activities. The room was filled with various crocheted animals, all of them different colors and sizes, all made by Camille's own hand. The walls were painted a dark blue and were covered with silver stars. One wall depicted two foxes gazing up at a silver crescent moon. One fox was small and black, the other tall and white. Ayaka informed them that it had been Jasmine who had painted the mural.

Ayaka sat on the edge of Camille's bed, staring dejectedly at her hands in her lap. Camille sat at her desk, her face buried in her arms, an occasional sniffle coming from her direction.

"Jade, it is too dangerous **and** too violent!" Jackie tried to reason.

Jade's gaze dropped to the floor. Jackie didn't need magic to know what thoughts were running through her mind. He could tell that she was blaming herself for what was happening and he knew that her guilt would only grow worse if Jasmine **did** lose.

Jackie himself wasn't entirely sure how to feel. After he volunteered to take Jade's place, Jasmine could have simply left it at that and made him deal with the consequences. Instead she took his place, knowing full well that doing so could result in her demise. Even after he had treated her so coldly, so harshly, she was still willing to take his place. That was not the action of a monster or a beast. It was selfless. He would even go as far as to say that it was noble.

But the question of "why" lingered. Why would she do such a thing when she clearly had no faith that she'd win? Why would a demon go so far for a couple of humans?

Jackie shook his head, pushing his thoughts aside for the time being. He returned his attention to Jade and attempted to console his niece. "Jade, you can't blame yourself for this."

"But Jackie, it's all my fault that Jazz is in this mess! If I had just kept my big mouth shut..."

"You should listen to your uncle, little one."

Both uncle and niece turned to the door as Fujiko walked in with a biwa in one hand. Shutting the door behind her, she walked over to the rocking chair. Fujiko gently set her instrument on the floor and took a seat.

"This is not your fault." she told the young girl calmly, "Lord Tadashi has been trying to pick a fight with Lady Jasmine since they were children, but she never took the bait. She was always too smart for that. Lord Tsuyoshi has been grooming Lord Tadashi since birth to one day fight Lady Jasmine. He's believed himself to be ready for quite some time now, but lacked sufficient means to make her fight him. Without Lord Daisuke on the premises and with you two here, Lord Tadashi realized that now was the perfect time to strike."

Jackie gritted his teeth, "So he was just using Jade as an excuse?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. And Lady Jasmine knew that as well. She's known that he was plotting something like this for some time now. None of us knew that he'd be willing to stoop so low as to use a child to get what he wanted, but it was obvious that he was looking for any chance he could get."

Jackie recalled what Ayaka had said in the library. "Is that... is that why she forbade the staff from sticking up for her?"

Fujiko slowly shook her head, smiling sadly, "Not exactly." She paused and placed her hand over her milky white eye. "As you've probably guessed by now, I am blind in this eye. Lady Hanako, our greatest healer, has examined it and tried to research how to heal it, but it is extremely unlikely that I will ever see out of this eye again. For me, this is no great loss, as I have five others to see with. However, Lady Jasmine blames herself for it, even though it was in no way her fault."

"What do you mean?" Jackie asked, "What happened?"

Fujiko leaned forward in the rocking chair, staring Jackie dead in the eyes. Her mouth was set in a thin line, her displeasure evident. "Mr. Chan, I am correct that you do not like or even trust Lady Jasmine because of her demon heritage, am I not?"

Jackie sputtered. First he was embarrassed, then confused by his reaction. Jasmine had asked him the same question on the jet and the answer had come easily, without embarrassment. So why was he getting so flustered now?

"Judging by your reaction, I'm guessing that you're at the point where you're not sure what to think. Good. That means that you're not one of those fools who averts their eyes when presented with evidence that contradicts their beliefs." Fujiko leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes as she carefully chose her words.

"Mr. Chan, you must understand. Lady Jasmine's personality is... complex. The more you watch her, the clearer it will be as to what kind of person she is."

Fujiko opened her eyes. "As for what happened with my eye... when Lady Jasmine was young, perhaps seven or eight, she came across me playing my koto. Every day she would come by and listen to me play, like she was entranced. She loves music, always has, and I could see it in her eyes. So, I taught her how to play the koto, then the biwa, and then any other instrument I had lying around. She loved to play and she was quite gifted. The lessons made us close, to the point where she would often follow me around the house like a baby duckling. We'd talk and she'd even help me with my duties. She... was so very happy."

She smiled fondly at the memory, but her smile didn't last for very long. "Then, one day, I discovered Lady Jasmine outside in front of the house. She was surrounded by the local children and I could tell that she was struggling not to cry. The other children were laughing, calling her names, and throwing rocks at her. I was... appalled, but I was even more appalled by the fact that I knew that that was not the first time such a thing had happened. I ran outside in my house slippers to protect her. Most of the children stopped when they saw me, but there was one who yelled at me to move and threw another rock. I tried to protect myself when I realized what was happening, but by that time it was too late. The rock hit me directly in the eye and I began to bleed. Afraid of getting in trouble, the children fled. But Lady Jasmine... she had seen everything. The damage was done."

Fujiko sighed remorsefully, "I was not the only staff member she was close to, but after that day she ordered the staff to never speak up on her behalf. She's kept her distance from us since then. She... blames herself for what happened and nothing I, or anyone else, said could convince her that she wasn't at fault."

"That's awful!" Jade shouted, "Isn't her dad in charge? Why didn't he do anything?"

"Lord Daisuke **is** the leader of the compound, but there was only so much he could do and he couldn't be around Jasmine at all times."

"Why were they bullying her in the first place?" Jackie asked.

Fujiko regarded him silently for a moment, then let out a breathless, humorless laugh. "It's ironic that **you** , of all people, are asking **that** question. Think about it. Demons were forced into hiding because of humans, therefore the demons here at the compound hate Lady Jasmine for her human blood. But humans were attacked by demons, so any human who learns what she is hates her for her demon blood. Neither race seems to care to look beyond Lady Jasmine's blood to see **who** she is, instead of **what** she is." She shook her head regretfully, "All of this senseless violence and pain boils down to stupid petty prejudice."

Her words shook Jackie to his core, forcing him to consider things that he never would have thought of otherwise. He was slowly beginning to realize that he may have been an ignorant fool.

Before his thoughts could continue, the door opened again. This time, Rin's head poked into the room.

"It's almost time." she quietly announced, "I need to go over to the arena now."

"You're going to **watch**?!" Jade asked, incredulous.

"I... don't have a choice."

"Typically, the leader of the compound announces the start of the dual." Fujiko explained, "However, Lord Daisuke is not on the premises, Lady Jasmine is the one fighting, and Lady Camille is too young. So, the task falls to Lord Daisuke's mate, Lady Rin."

Rin stared at the floor, looking ready to cry again. Jackie's heart went out to the poor woman. She essentially had to initiate what could possibly be her own child's death. He felt that it was cruel and unfair.

"Mr. Chan?" Fujiko's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "Could I trouble you for a favor?"

"... What?"

"As you can tell, Lady Rin is pregnant. At this stage, she isn't exactly capable of defending herself as she usually is. And don't argue, My Lady, because you're not!"

Rin's mouth shut with an audible click.

"Regardless of what your thoughts are on us demons, Lady Rin is human. Please, I beg you, make sure she is kept safe."

Jackie was uncertain until he felt a tug on his pant leg. It was Camille, staring up at him with teary eyes.

"Keep mama safe. Please, Jackie?"

For some reason, in that moment Camille reminded him of Jade, begging him to let her come with him to save her parents the first time Shendu had been resurrected.

Suddenly, Jackie couldn't say "no".

* * *

The arena reminded Jackie of an indoor Roman coliseum. It was oval in shape and was lined with rows and rows of stone benches. In the center of it all was a large pit where Tadashi already stood waiting. There were demons everywhere, some with horns, some with fur, some with scales.

Jackie felt... outnumbered. He stuck close to Rin, trying very hard not to bump into anyone. "There are so many..."

"I expected as much." Rin said as they arrived at their seats. "They're hoping that Tadashi will win."

"Not hoping. They **know** that Tadashi will win."

Jackie jumped back, startled, as the voice had come from behind him. Rin narrowed her eyes, but bowed politely to the newcomers, "Good evening, Lord Tsuyoshi, Lady Kumiko."

Tsuyoshi Sasaki was a great bear of a man who easily towered over Rin and Jackie. He was pale with long silver hair, a long beard and mustache, and golden eyes. He wore a black kimono, red juban, and black hakama. He also wore a black haori which bore the Sasaki family crest; a silver dog's head with golden eyes, its teeth bared.

Kumiko Sasaki was also pale with long silver hair and golden eyes. She wore a crimson kimono with blue flowers. Her face was partially concealed by a black fan that bore their family crest.

Like Tadashi, they both had dogs ears and tails, as well as the same crimson markings.

Tsuyoshi scowled, "Spare me the pleasantries. I have no intention of being cordial with a **human**."

"Oh, well in that case," Rin straightened up and pointed to a couple of seats a good distance away, "your seats are over there."

Tsuyoshi leaned down, his face mere inches away from Rin's. He growled and bared his razor sharp teeth, but the pregnant woman simply stood there, totally unfazed. She didn't even flinch as his breath fanned across her face.

Concerned, Jackie took on a fighting stance, closely monitoring Tsuyoshi for any sudden movements.

Tsuyoshi saw this and sneered. "What's this, Rin-sama? Forcing the other human to protect you?"

"No, Lord Tsuyoshi." Rin answered firmly, "I would never force another to do something they didn't want to do."

Tsuyoshi threw his head back, laughing maliciously. "Lies! You humans always use others to get what you want! It's in your nature! It's all you know! But tonight, that will all change."

Rin clenched her fists by her sides as she and Jackie watched as Tsuyoshi led his mate to their seats. Rin sighed, her shoulders sagging, "I swear, every time I see that guy I just want to punch his lights out... but that would just prove his point..."

"What was that all about?" Jackie asked, dropping his stance, "I know that Fujiko said that the demons here hate humans because they forced them into hiding, but he seemed to have a personal grudge."

Rin nodded, thinking for a moment. "Jackie, do you know what a shikigami is?"

"Yes. They were mentioned in the reports your daughter gave me. They're a type of spirit summoned to do ones bidding, right?"

"That's right. Long ago, Inugami were a type of shikigami summoned only by human onmyouji, human sorcerers. The ritual for summoning them was... extremely cruel.

"An onmyouji would bury a common dog alive, leaving only it's head free. They would leave food just in front of the dog so it could see it, but not reach it. Finally, just as the dog was about to starve to death, they'd chop it's head off."

Jackie gasped, horrified.

"They were shikigami born from hate to be used for curses, but because of their awful treatment the Inugami had a tendency to turn on their summoners. I can't exactly say that I blame them. One day, an entire pack of Inugami turned on their masters and fled into the woods. Eventually they evolved into the demons you see before you today."

"The Sasaki family is descended from that original pack of Inugami?"

Rin nodded, "Yes, and they've carried their hatred with them all this time, believing humans to be as cruel now as they were then. They're unwilling to change, unwilling to give humans a second chance."

She paused, then shook her head, "I'm not trying to say that all humans are kind, because there are still a lot of cruel humans in the world. Ones who would sacrifice the lives of their own kind without a second thought. But they're not **all** that way, just like not all demons are cruel." She thoughtfully looked down at her amulet, "Like my Daisuke..."

Jackie stood there in silence, absorbing Rin's words. He thought back on his travels, to all of the people, the **humans** , he had met who had had no qualms about endangering or destroying the lives of thousands or millions of innocents just to get what they wanted, or in most cases, just to turn a buck.

Valmont, of course, was the first to come to mind. He had done everything in his power to resurrect Shendu just so he could gain some treasure. Mr. Jumba, Dr. Weber, and Portia Martindale had wanted to dry up the Ganges River, justifying it as the "archaeological find of the millennia". Kuniko Kasahara had seemed perfectly fine with the idea of killing him over an urn from the Ming Dynasty. Both he and his niece had nearly been crushed in an avalanche caused by Peter Bailey, who had wanted to sell off Dwayne despite the fact that he was a living, breathing creature. Wesley Rank had left him, Jade, and his own camera man behind to get eaten by a giant snake all so he could steal the Snake Talisman, despite knowing nothing about it. Vanessa Barone had had no problems threatening a troop of Buttercups just to get her hands on the Eye of Aurora. And then there was Daolong Wong, a dark chi wizard whose only desire was for evil to reign.

And what had Jasmine done? Surrendered the Talismans to Section 13. Help them with trying to solve the mystery of why they had returned. Saved him and Jade from what would have surely been their imminent demise.

Jackie wasn't sure what to think anymore.

All of a sudden, there was a hand on his shoulder and Jackie jumped for the second time that evening. With a hand over his rapidly beating heart, he whirled around to find a familiar woman.

The woman had pale skin and narrow, magenta eyes which were staring at him with surprise. She had short snow white hair that reached her chin in the front and was shorter in the back. She had fox ears and a tail, and her nails were sharp like claws, just like every other demon he had seen at the compound. She wore a plain royal blue kimono with hakama to match and a white juban underneath. She also wore a white haori, which bore the same insignia as the one he had seen mounted over the fireplace in the Heiwa living room.

That's when it clicked. "Jasmine?"

Jasmine's ears twitched. It was the first time Jackie had used her name and hearing it was odd, but not unpleasant. "I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you, Mr. Chan."

"No, it is... fine."

There was a long, heavy silence that passed between them. Jackie had so many questions that he wanted to ask her. Why was she doing this? Why was she going to all of this trouble? What was going through her head? The words were on the tip of his tongue, but could go no farther.

Jasmine was the one to break the silence. "Mr. Chan," she began quietly, "I... may be out of line here, but... I have an important favor to ask of you. I know... I know that you don't trust me, but **please**... hear me out."

Her tone was pleading and Jackie felt inclined to say, "Alright."

"I have one of the butlers from our house here tonight." She glanced off into the crowd, then returned her gaze to Jackie. "He is an Okami, a wolf demon, and he runs very fast. If things start to... look bad... I've ordered him to return to the house to warn the staff to protect the children and flee. **Please** , if things take a turn... if it looks like I will not make it... please escort my mother to safety. She... my family means everything to me."

"I... I will do what I can, but... do you really think you'll lose?"

Her gaze dropped to the floor. "If something happens to me, take my mother away from the compound and just lay low in the town nearby. Once my father returns, he'll be able to straighten everything out. Tadashi is no match for him. Then, once things have settled down, my father can give you the amulet and you and Jade can return to Section 13. Just tell Captain Black what happened, he has the code to get the journal out of the vault."

"... You didn't answer my question."

Jasmine looked resigned, as though she truly expected to die tonight. For some reason, that thought scared him.

She raised her eyes to meet his, "Whatever happens tonight... please, let Jade know that none of this was her fault."

Turning on her heel, Jasmine walked over to her mother before Jackie could say anymore. Without a word, she slipped off her haori and draped it over Rin's shoulders, her hands lingering there for a moment. Rin placed her hand atop one of Jasmine's, giving it a tight squeeze.

"Promise me that you'll come back alive?" Rin knew that asking was futile, but she had to.

Jasmine could offer her mother no solace, and instead offered her a bittersweet smile. "I... make no promises."

Rin blinked back tears. She had expected as much, but she still had to ask. She would have given anything so that her daughter wouldn't have to fight, but there was nothing she could do. There was nothing anyone could do. She squeezed Jasmine's hand one last time, gave it a pat, then released her.

"I love you." she croaked.

"I love you too, mom." Jasmine whispered back.

Pulling away from her mother, Jasmine hopped down into the pit where Tadashi had been patiently waiting with a grin.

"I hope you've said your goodbyes." he taunted.

Jasmine grit her teeth, glaring. As a half-demon, she was not as physically strong as other demons. She was much stronger than a human, of course, but her strength was slightly below that of an average demon. She knew that there was a very good chance that she wouldn't be leaving here alive tonight, but still...

 **She sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight.**

Rin cleared her throat as she watched the two, feeling nothing but sadness and dread. "Are the combatants ready?" she yelled, her voice echoing clearly through the arena.

Jasmine and Tadashi's eyes were locked onto each other. "Hai!" they answered in unison.

Rin drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she forced herself to say, "Hajime!"

The signal had been given and Tadashi charged at Jasmine as quick as lightening, his claws drawn to attack. She met him head-on though, and caught his hands in hers. Their fingers were laced together as they pushed against each other, trying to force the other to buckle. As Tadashi's strength was greater, Jasmine started to slowly slide backwards.

Tadashi chuckled, "This will be pathetically easy."

Tadashi slammed his knee into Jasmine's stomach, catching her off guard and knocking the air out of her. Her chin fell to her chest as she sucked in a sharp breath, her opponent laughing at her all the while. Snarling, she gripped his hands tighter as her head snapped up and her jaw dropped open. Tadashi realized what she was doing a moment too late and was hit with a blast of foxfire from her hands and mouth, knocking him back a good few feet.

"She can breathe fire?!" Jackie asked, astonished.

Rin nodded, "Kitsune can generate foxfire from their tails, mouths, or hands. Something Tadashi seems to have forgotten."

Tadashi swatted at the foxfire in an attempt to extinguish it. While he was distracted, Jasmine reached into the folds of her kimono and pulled out a small glass vial filled with a dark pink liquid and contained with a cork. She threw the vial at Tadashi and it hit the floor by his right foot, shattering. Immediately, a pink crystalline structure shot up from the floor, trapping his foot inside.

"Is she... allowed to do that?" Jackie asked Rin.

"Oh, yes. Like I said before, it's a no-holds-barred. Anything goes. Jasmine was smart enough to make preparations beforehand." she said, "However, Tadashi is overconfident. I doubt that he made the same careful preparations she did."

Jasmine pulled out another vial with the same liquid and this time threw it right at Tadashi's face. Another crystalline structure sprouted forth, this one encompassing his head. He froze, unable to breathe and unsure of what to do. He was wide open, a sitting duck. Wasting no time, Jasmine launched herself at him at full force and delivered a roundhouse kick to his head.

The force of the blow sent Tadashi's body flying, the momentum breaking his foot free of the crystal with a snap accompanied by the sound of glass shattering. His head struck the wall hard, smashing the crystal that had trapped him into thousands of tiny pieces. Tadashi slumped to the floor, groaning in pain as he tried to gather his wits.

Jasmine knew that his ankle must have been broken, judging by the strange angle the bone was now in. But demons had a higher pain tolerance than humans. A broken ankle wouldn't stop him from fighting, or even keep him down for very long. Jasmine raced towards him, wanting to strike while he was still disoriented. Normally she didn't believe in kicking an opponent while they were down, but she knew that she couldn't afford to do that now and she also knew that Tadashi would do the same if their positions were reversed. She raised her right leg to deliver an ax stomp to his throat, but he rolled out of the way at the last second.

Tadashi slowly rose to his feet, panting and glaring at Jasmine with an intensity that she had not seen before. "You are going to **pay** for that." he growled, flexing his claws.

Tadashi surged towards her claws poised to strike. Jasmine just barely sidestepped the attack, but she caught a whiff of an odd, acrid scent. It caused a slight burning sensation in her nostrils, reminding her of...

"Acid?" she gasped.

He smirked smugly, once again flexing his claws, this time for show. She now noticed that they were faintly glowing a sickly yellowish-green color. "I've learned a few new tricks while you were gone." he said, taking another swing at her.

Rin watched Jasmine dodge Tadashi's onslaught with a frown, worry gnawing at her heart. "Oh, no." she muttered, pulling her daughter's haori closer to her, "I didn't know that Tadashi had learned how to wield acid claws..."

"Is that bad?" Jackie asked.

"It can be. Acid claws are powerful enough to melt metal and stone. It's definitely not something that you want to get hit by."

Tadashi made swipe after swipe at Jasmine, and she valiantly managed to dodge each strike. Finally, he seized her by her shoulder, his claws buried deep in her flesh. She could feel the burning acid seeping into the wound, sending a hot bolt of pain coursing through her arm and up her spine. Her eyes clenched shut as she let out a strangled yelp, causing a twisted, sadistic grin to spread across Tadashi's face. Pulling back his free hand, he straightened his fingers and claws and drove his arm clean through her stomach.

Jasmine's eyes flew wide open, shock and agony clear on her face. She struggled to breathe, but only ended up coughing up blood. The crimson liquid from her wounds seeped into her clothes, the fabric gradually changing from blue to a dark purple. A shallow pool of her blood gathered on the floor, staining the stone beneath them. The crowd was cheering, but she couldn't hear them over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.

Rin's hands flew to her mouth, her face deathly pale. Just looking at the scene made her feel ready to vomit and it took everything she had not to scream.

Jackie wasn't faring any better. He could only gape at the scene, slack-jawed and mute. He had watched the entire thing happen, and yet he couldn't quite believe it. It seemed surreal, like witnessing the events of a dream. But it WAS real, it HAD happened. And it was horrifying. He was certain that he had never seen so much blood in his entire life.

Gritting her teeth, Jasmine tried to ignore the tremendous amount of pain she was in, which was a daunting task considering the fact that Tadashi's arm was still speared through her stomach, dangerously close to her spine. She had to get him away from her quickly so that she could try to recover. Jasmine grabbed his arm in a vice like grip with both hands, digging her long, sturdy, sharp claws deep into his skin. She tore at his flesh, making the wounds wider and deeper, nearly ripping out veins and muscles in the process. With a hazy stare, Jasmine sent bursts of foxfire from her fingertips through his wounds, the magic fire scorching him from within as it ran rampant through his body.

Tadashi's eyes grew to the size of saucers and he released a piercing scream that rang throughout the arena. Hastily ripping his arm out of Jasmine's stomach, he began staggering and flailing about, trying vainly to put out the foxfire.

Jasmine took this chance to pull another glass vial from her kimono, this one filled with a crimson liquid. Struggling to stand up straight, she removed the cork from the vial with her teeth, spat it out, and then downed the potion. She tossed the container aside when it was empty and glanced down at the hole in her stomach to see it closing up, as if being sewn together with an invisible needle and thread. Patting the newly healed area, Jasmine was suddenly very grateful for her grandmother's strict potion making lessons.

Tadashi growled loudly, furious when the foxfire finally dispersed. He hadn't anticipated that the half-demon would give him so much trouble and wasn't happy that she was making him look like a fool in front of the entire compound. Jasmine knew this, she could see it in his eyes, and prepared herself to continue their brawl.

Jackie watched as they continued to exchange blows in a state of disbelief. He turned to Rin, feeling helpless. "This is... so barbaric..."

Rin nodded, swallowing back the bile hat had been rising in her throat. "... I know." she whispered.

"How long will this go on?"

"... Until one... or both of them... are unable to fight..."

"That's... insane!" he exclaimed, not wanting to believe it, "Isn't there something, anything, we could do?"

"If there was something that could stop this madness, I would have done it already!" Rin snapped, "Do you think that I enjoy sitting here, doing **nothing** while watching my daughter get hurt?!"

Jackie was taken aback by her sudden change in attitude. "... I am sorry."

Rin blinked and took a moment to collect herself. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and drew in a deep breath. "No... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. It was stress and hormones." Rin opened her eyes again and fixed her gaze on her daughter, "Unfortunately, the only thing we can do now is wait."

* * *

"What do you mean, just wait?!" Jade demanded, all but glaring at Fujiko.

The spider woman had been calmly playing her biwa, eyes closed as she listened to the melody. Jade had thought that she wasn't paying attention and had tried to sneak past her to slip out the door. However, the moment Jade reached for the doorknob, one of Fujiko's arms had stretched out and grabbed her by her hood. She was now being held several inches off the ground in front of Fujiko. The woman had not opened her eyes or stopped playing the biwa the entire time. She had simply told the child to, "just wait".

"I meant what I said." she replied, setting Jade down, "Just wait."

"But... but Jazz could be in trouble! She might need help!" she protested.

"Even if that were the case and you were to attend the dual, Lady Jasmine would automatically forfeit the match if you attempted to interfere."

"But what if Jasmine... doesn't make it?" Jade asked, forlorn, "It'll be... all my fault..."

"I already told you, little one, **none** of this is **your** fault. Lord Tadashi has had this scheme in the works for years now. He **used** you to get to Lady Jasmine. **You** are just as much a victim here as Lady Jasmine and Lady Camille." She paused, then offered her a smile, "I know it's difficult, but you mustn't lose hope. I have faith that Lady Jasmine will be victorious."

"What makes you so sure?" Jade asked curiously.

"Lady Jasmine has always possessed a certain... strength of spirit. She may lack a fair bit of confidence from the struggles of her childhood, but I've always sensed a great power lying dormant within her. She is stronger than anyone gives her credit for, even her parents and especially herself."

Jade dared to hope, "Do you... really think she'll come back safe?"

Fujiko opened her eyes and nodded, "I don't just think so. I **know** so."

Jade allowed herself a tiny smile.

The sound of drawers opening and closing followed by the rustling of paper drew their attention to where Camille sat at her desk. The surface of her desk was littered with many colorful folded paper cranes. Ayaka, Fujiko, and Jade all watched with interest as the young Kit took another piece of paper from the tall stack beside her and began folding it just as she had the others.

Fujiko gently set her biwa on the floor before she and Jade approached Camille's desk to get a closer look at her handiwork. There was a determined fire burning brightly in Camille's big, brown eyes and a look of concentration on her face as her hands deftly folded another crane, as though this was something that she had done many times in the past.

Confused, Jade glanced up at Fujiko for answers, "What's with all the origami?"

The Jorōgumō stroked her chin in thought. "I believe that Lady Camille is attempting to fold a thousand paper cranes."

Realization dawned on Ayaka's face, "Oh! The legend..."

"Legend?" Jade repeated, "What legend?"

"There's an old legend that states if you fold a thousand paper cranes, you'll get a wish." Fujiko explained, "No doubt Lady Camille is going to wish for the safe return of her sister."

Jade looked at Camille dubiously, "Do you **really** think that'll work?"

"You live in a world filled with demons, magic talismans, curses, and who knows what else, and you find **this** far fetched?" Camille shot back with a leveled stare.

The other girl considered her words for a moment. "Okay, you've got a point." she conceded, "But a thousand is a lot to do by yourself. How about I lend a hand?"

"That would be great!" Camille grinned, "Grab a piece of paper and start folding. I have more in my desk if we need it."

"I'll help too!" Ayaka volunteered, smiling as she too grabbed some paper.

"I'll help as well." Fujiko smiled, getting three pieces of paper for her three sets of hands, "It will get done faster with all of us pitching in."

The atmosphere of the room had changed in that moment. Now there was hope present. Jade couldn't help but smile to herself as she clumsily folded a paper crane of her own.

 _"I just have to have faith."_ she thought to herself, _"I have faith that Jazz'll win."_

* * *

Jasmine had lost all faith that she might win.

She was lying motionless on the floor of the arena in a small pool of her own blood, her arm outstretched for the shattered remains of her last vial of healing potion that Tadashi had knocked out of her hand. Jasmine was certain that she had never been in so much physical pain in all of her life, nor had she ever had so much of her blood spilled at once. She was sure that at least two of her ribs were broken and, if the pain and difficulty she had breathing were any indications, she guessed that one of them had punctured a lung. There was a deep gash in her side that was still oozing blood and she knew that it would need stitches. The burn from Tadashi's acid claws was coursing through her body, forcing her to grit her teeth to keep from crying out.

Above all else though, Jasmine was sick and tired and disgusted with herself. She thought back to the day Fujiko had protected her from the bullies and sneered to herself. Nothing had changed since then. **She** had not changed since then, no matter how much she wanted to profess otherwise. Even now, when they needed her the most, she couldn't protect the people she loved. The thought hurt more than any injury Tadashi had inflicted.

Jasmine summoned what little strength she had left and forced it into her arms, struggling to get up. She knew that she couldn't afford to give up yet. There were people depending on her, people who needed her.

Tadashi saw this and ran over to kick her in the stomach. Jasmine rolled across the floor and spat up blood when she came to a stop.

Jackie watched the scene with despair. Recalling the promise he made to Jasmine, he turned to Rin and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Things... do not look good. I think we should... get you to safety."

Rin gasped, appalled. Glaring daggers, she slapped Jackie's hand away. "My **daughter** is down there fighting for her **life** , and you want me to run away?!"

"I know it's difficult, but please be reasonable. You are with child and it is too dangerous to-"

"Jackie, let me ask you something. If that was your niece, if that was **Jade** down there in the same position Jasmine's in, would **you** run away for the sake of your own safety?"

Jackie didn't even need to think about the question. The answer came to him immediately. "No, I would not."

"And neither will I." Rin told him, "Regardless of the outcome, I will stay here until the end."

Jackie sighed and turned back to the battle, hoping beyond hope for Jasmine to win.

Tadashi laughed at Jasmine's battered and bloody form. "What are you going to do, Jasmine-sama? Daddy isn't here to help you out of this."

Anger rose up above her self-loathing. _"I don't need anyone's_ _ **help**_ _."_

"You're so weak, it's so sad." he continued, oblivious to Jasmine's reaction.

 _"I am not_ _ **weak**_ _!"_ she thought, visibly bristling.

"Though I guess that's to be expected from a pathetic hanyou."

Jasmine's ire seared through her veins as she staggered to her feet. _"Just because I'm a half-breed doesn't mean I'm pathetic!"_ Her fists were clenched and her head was bowed, blocking her face from view.

"You shouldn't even be allowed to call yourself a demon. You should just call yourself human. You're just as powerless and worthless as they are."

Suddenly, Jasmine let out a snort of laughter, confusing Tadashi and causing him to stop in his tracks. "What exactly is so funny?"

She tilted her head so that only her smirk was visible. "You're so full of shit."

"What?" was all his shocked mind could come up with.

"The funniest part, or perhaps the saddest, is that you actually **believe** this shit that you're spewing."

Tadashi snarled and marched up to Jasmine, hauling off to punch her. However, much to his surprise, she effortlessly caught his fist, demonstrating a level of strength that he had not known she possessed. Finally, her eyes met his and at that moment, Tadashi realized all too late that he had just made the biggest, dumbest, and quite possibly the last mistake of his life.

Tadashi's words had brought to the surface a certain self-righteous fury that Jasmine hadn't known she was capable of. Her inner demon roared to life and she felt a power growing within her, stirred up by Tadashi and erupting from her like a volcano.

Her pupils constricted until they were just slits, like those of a cat's. A blue crescent moon etched itself onto her forehead, mirroring the one her father had. An aura of power whirled around and suddenly her tail began to glow. Right before the eyes of everyone present, Jasmine's single tail split into two.

All at once, a collective gasp echoed throughout the stadium, the shock and bewilderment of the crowd practically palpable.

Tadashi tried to wrench his hand from Jasmine's grip, but it was pointless. With her new tail, she had become too strong for him.

"Are you **really** so deluded as to believe that demons are superior to humans?"

"Let me go, you filthy hanyou!" he spat.

She decked him right in the face, causing his jaw to pop and knocking him back a good few feet. "Look at our history. Why are we here today, Tadashi? Why are we in hiding?"

"Shut up!"

Tadashi charged at her, but Jasmine was faster than him now and she swiftly dodged him. Getting behind him, she delivered a harsh kick to his back, sending him toppling to the floor.

"It's because humans **aren't** weak. They possess the power to banish us, to slay us, just as we can them. That's why you and everyone else here hates them. It's because you're afraid. Afraid of the power they have. Afraid because they **are** , in fact, our equals."

Tadashi bared his teeth. He didn't want to acknowledge the truth behind her words. It went against everything he was ever taught. "Shut your mouth, hanyou!"

He leapt to his feet and took another swing at Jasmine, but she sidestepped his attack. Grabbing hold of his left arm, she dislocated it from the socket, causing Tadashi to let out a howl.

"Humans are strong because they can hope."

Tadashi made a swipe at her face. It missed.

"Humans are strong because they are determined."

Growling, Tadashi tried to sweep Jasmine's feet out from under her. He failed.

"But most importantly," Jasmine knocked Tadashi down onto his back, "humans are strong because they have the power to change."

Tadashi attempted to get up, but froze when he saw Jasmine. Electricity crackled through the air as a thin blue wall of it encompassed her body like a suit of armor. Using her foxfire ability, Jasmine had conjured an entire skulk of foxes all made from multicolored light, fire, or electricity.

"Look around you!" Jasmine shouted, gesturing to the demons in the stadium. "Look at yourselves! Nothing has changed for you since ancient times! Things need to change for us to survive, but you all shun the idea because you're scared! So you hide your fear behind hate, meanwhile you never notice that your unwillingness to change makes you all weak! Is that really, **truly** , what you all so greatly desire?!"

The stadium was deathly silently.

Tadashi looked around. He was surrounded by Jasmine's conjured foxes. One was even poised to tear his throat out should he try to stand. Bowing his head, he realized that he had been defeated. Even if he tried to continue, he'd just get torn limb from limb anyway. He figured that he may as well accept his defeat with grace.

"You have made your point, Jasmine-sama." There was no sarcasm in his voice this time. He was truly acknowledging her role as head of the compound. "I have lost. I'm ready to die."

He heard Jasmine sigh. "Weren't you listening at **all** , Tadashi?" One by one, her skulk of foxes disappeared and her armor dissipated. "Things need to change, and I plan on leading by example. As winner, I declare that **no** **one** will die tonight!"

Tadashi's head snapped up, unable to mask his shock and confusion. After all the years of hate, torment, and pain, she was **sparing** him? He couldn't comprehend it. He had been taught that humans were vengeful, petty. He had thought that she would delight in killing him.

Jasmine gave him a genuinely friendly smile and offered her hand out to him to help him to his feet. "You fought well."

He gaped, staring up at Jasmine as if truly seeing her for the first time. He lifted his hand, looking ready to take hers, when an enraged roar rang out.

Before she fully understood what was happening, Tsuyoshi leapt down into the pit and stood between Jasmine and his son. He was breathing heavily and his lips were curled into a snarl.

"How **dare** you?!" he growled in her face, "It's not enough for you that you've won, but now you mock my son and rub your victory in his face?"

Jasmine meekly raised her hands in defense. "Lord Tsuyoshi, that was not my intent-"

"Silence!" he barked, causing her ears to flatten against her head, "I'm in no mood to hear your lies, you miserable, dishonorable hanyou!"

Tsuyoshi drew back his hand to slap Jasmine. At that point, the adrenaline had worn off and she lacked the energy necessary to dodge him. All she could do was raise her arms in a feeble attempt to block him. She braced herself for impact, but the blow never came.

Someone had grabbed his hand mid-swing, and Tsuyoshi bared his teeth at Jasmine's savior. "Daisuke..." he growled lowly.

The person who had saved her was none other than her own father, Daisuke Heiwa. He had long golden blond hair that flowed down his back, magenta eyes just like Jasmine's, and a blue crescent moon on his pale forehead. He was dressed in a simple blue kimono with a white juban underneath and a white haori baring the family crest. Daisuke had two fox ears atop his head and possessed nine golden tails.

"Really now, Tsuyoshi. The only one acting dishonorably here is you." Daisuke informed him in a scolding tone, "My daughter spared your son out of the kindness of her heart. Are you saying that you would have preferred it if she had taken his life?"

Tsuyoshi snatched his hand from Daisuke's grasp, growling. Daisuke glanced back at Jasmine, smiling proudly.

"You fought well tonight, Jasmine. Why don't you return to your room while your mother and I finish up here? I'll send over Lady Hanako right away to tend to your wounds."

Jasmine bowed, "Yes, father."

Rin turned to Jackie as Jasmine climbed out of the pit. "I'm still needed here. Can I ask you to make sure that Jasmine makes it to her room okay? I'm worried about the current state she's in."

Jackie nodded. He figured that it was the least he could do considering what Jasmine had just done for him and his niece.

Jasmine forced a smile for her mother as she passed her on her way out of the arena, Jackie following close behind. He was baffled as he watched her. From the way she was walking, one would never guess that she had just been in a life or death battle if it weren't for the blood dripping from her clothes.

It wasn't until they had reached the main hall of the Heiwa house that Jasmine stopped trying to mask the agonizing pain she was in. Her face twisted in a grimace and a tidal wave of fatigue hit her all at once. She stumbled, but broke her fall with her hands at the last second. Every nerve ending in her body was screaming in protest and Jasmine let out a sharp hiss.

Jackie was by her side in an instant, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?" He reached out to try to help her up, but she refused.

"I'm fine." she assured him, staggering to her feet. She was now cradling her side, leaning against the wall for support.

Jackie was doubtful, but continued to walk behind her.

Jasmine was able to walk a few more feet before she slipped a second time, barely catching herself on the wall.

Jackie held out his hand, "Please, let me-"

"I don't need any help!" she insisted through gritted teeth.

She pulled herself up and managed to take a few more steps before she fell a third time. Unlike before, she was unable to stop herself from falling and she didn't have the energy to pick herself back up.

Jackie sighed, shaking his head. "You are stubborn." he told her as he helped her to her feet. He placed her arm around his shoulder, one of his hands holding it in place, and put his other arm around her waist so that she would be forced to lean on him as they walked.

Jasmine stared at the floor, embarrassed and unable to tell him that he was wrong.

The two walked to her room in silence. When they arrived, Jackie opened the door and set Jasmine down on the edge of her king sized bed.

Just like Camille's room, Jasmine's room was large and the walls were even painted the same way with the same mural. There were several crocheted animals lying around, no doubt presents from Camille. The walls were practically lined with bookshelves and there was a desk in the corner which Jackie guessed she had used for her studies as a child.

Jasmine sat quietly on her bed, staring at her blood soaked hand as the reality of the night's events slowly sunk in. She had almost **died** tonight. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jade and Jackie had been dragged into the drama and politics of her family and the compound. If even one thing had gone differently that day... The images of her grieving family, a hysterical Jade, and a berserk Jackie filled her mind from all of the different scenarios that could have occurred.

Jasmine's body began to tremble and tears clouded her vision. She didn't want to cry, especially when there was someone around to see her, but when she looked up at Jackie, she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She was guilt-ridden. She hadn't meant for anyone else to get caught up in this mess.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered hoarsely, holding back sobs. Jasmine wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm so sorry... I... I never wanted you to get involved with this... I should have... I should have known better... I'm just... I'm so sorry..."

It was then that Jackie came to an important realization. This was not Shendu. She was not Drago or Tarakudo or any other demon that had tried to kill him and his family in the past. So far, she had done nothing but try to help them. She had nearly **died** for them, but he was still treating her like she was Shendu.

He had been wrong. He understood that now. As he watched Jasmine, his heart ached. From everything that he had seen, he knew that he wasn't the first to treat her so unfairly and he knew that he probably wouldn't be the last. But he decided that he was going to try to make things right.

Before he really knew what he was doing, Jackie found himself sitting on the bed next to Jasmine. Gingerly, so as to not aggravate her wounds, he pulled her into his arms and gently stroked her hair. "I'm sorry."

Jasmine's body went stiff until his words registered in her mind. He was sorry. He was accepting her. She couldn't stop the sob that tore itself from her throat. Clutching onto his sweater like a lifeline, she buried her face in his chest, grateful for the comfort that he was so kindly offering.

Jackie's eyes softened as he took her in, now ridden with guilt himself. "I was wrong." he softly confessed, tightening his hold on the crying woman ever so slightly, "I'm so very sorry..."

* * *

 **1\. A biwa is like a Japanese lute.**

 **2\. A haori is like a coat that's worn over a kimono. Again, if any of you have seen** _ **Bleach**_ **, it's the thing that the captains wear.**

 **3\. Hai means "yes".**

 **4\. Hajime means "begin". It's used at Judo matches and the like.**

 **5\. Interestingly enough, Foxfire is actually defined as being light, lightening, or fire.**

 **As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, everyone. Okay, so this chapter was actually supposed to go up last Thursday, but I've been sick. I wanted to do a slightly lighter chapter considering how heavy the last one was. This part was supposed to be part of one chapter, but it would have been too long, so I split it into two parts. The next one will probably be longer.**

 **GrimmaulDee:** **I told you that he'd come around. Jackie can just be overly cautious. I'm glad that you liked it, Jasmine tends to get passionate about the things that matter to her.**

 **TheWhisperingWarrior:** **Daisuke is kind of in a tough position. He has to abide by the rules of the compound, so he can't really be angry at Tadashi for making her follow their traditions. The way he went about it, however, is another story. Tsuyoshi is of the mind that his son can do no wrong, he places all of the blame for Tadashi's loss on Jasmine, thinking she used some trick. You may be onto something with Tadashi, though...**

 **Hamsterjellyman:** **I'm really glad that you think so! This story is turning out to be much different than how I usually write, but it feels like a good kind of different, if that makes any sense. I hope to continue to improve as the story goes on.**

* * *

Jackie held Jasmine as she cried for what seemed like hours until she eventually cried herself to sleep. He took in the sight of her exhausted form and felt awful. From what Fujiko had said, he now understood a bit about the grief and pain that she had been through, pain that **he** had contributed to. And yet, she had still helped him anyway.

As he thought back on his actions, a Chinese proverb came to mind; _"As a man cannot be known by his looks, neither can the sea be fathomed by a gourd"_. He had wrongfully judged Jasmine by her demon heritage instead of by her character, as he should have. He knew that he couldn't take back his actions, or the words he had spoken to her. He could only apologize and hope that she would be willing to forgive him.

A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts. Daisuke entered the room, greeting him with a kind smile. If he was surprised to find his daughter asleep in the arms of a stranger, it didn't show on his face as he strode over to the bed.

"She must be exhausted." he commented quietly, so as not to wake her, "I take it that the stress from the situation finally hit her once the two of you made it here?"

"Yes. She... was crying."

"She cried?" Daisuke asked, surprised, "Jasmine hates crying in front of others. Tonight must have really taken its toll on her if she cried in front of you."

Jackie nodded, recalling how easily Tadashi had run his arm through Jasmine's stomach. "Where is Rin?" he asked, noticing that the pregnant woman was not with him.

"I sent her off to bed and told her that I would take care of everything. My mother and sister are on their way here to heal Jasmine. Once she's been taken care of, I'll escort you back to Camille's room." Daisuke paused, giving Jackie a pointed look, "It will probably be easier for them to treat her if you were to release her now."

Jackie's face turned bright red, "O-oh, yes! O-of course!" He attempted to lay Jasmine down on the bed, but she still had a firm grasp on his sweater. Every time he tried to remove her fingers, she'd simply tighten her grip and snuggle closer to him. He let out a nervous laugh, very aware that the father of the woman who was clinging to him was standing mere inches away, watching him with impatience in his eyes. "Um... She does not seem to want to let go..."

Daisuke was only able to keep his expression serious for a few seconds longer before he chuckled softly. "I apologize. I knew as much. Jasmine has a tendency to cling to things in her sleep and it can be very difficult to make her let go."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I heard from Haruto that you haven't exactly been kind to my daughter. I **was** ready to lecture you until I saw the position you two were in. I guess something has changed?"

Jackie averted his gaze in shame, nodding. "Yes, I... I understand now that I've been unfair to her."

"I had guessed as much. Still..." Daisuke smiled an eerie, vulpine smile, "for hurting my daughter, I wanted to make you **squirm** a bit."

Jackie instinctively shied away from the demon. He had the distinct impression that if Daisuke wanted it, he'd be dead where he stood.

"But enough of that." he continued, his expression returning to normal, "Here, let me help you."

With their combined effort, the two managed to gingerly remove Jasmine and lay her down comfortably on her bed. The door opened again not a moment later, revealing two Kitsune women. Both of them had the same pale skin, magenta eyes, and crescent moon marking that Daisuke and Jasmine had, and they were both dressed in a white kimono and blue hakama.

One woman had snow white hair that just reached past her shoulders. She had eight tails and a kind smile on her face.

The other woman had long golden blond hair that was tied up in a bun. She had nine tails and a surly expression.

"Mother, Chihiro." Daisuke greeted, "Thank you for coming so quickly."

The white haired woman, Chihiro, gasped at the sight of Jasmine unconscious in blood soaked clothing. She nearly shoved Jackie out of the way in her rush to get to the bed. "It's even worse than I thought."

"Is she going to be okay?" Jackie fretted.

The blond woman, Hanako, scoffed and jabbed him in the nose with her index finger. " **She** will be fine. Big Nose should worry about Big Nose." she informed him, "You're covered in blood, too. Are you injured?"

Jackie glanced down at his sweater and winced. It was indeed covered in blood, Jasmine's blood. "It's not mine. I had to help Jasmine walk back to her room."

Hanako nodded, satisfied, and turned her back to the two males. "Good. Now both of you get out so we can work."

"Get out?" Daisuke parroted, "But... she is my daughter."

"And I'm your mother. Do as I say."

"I can help you." he insisted.

Hanako stopped and turned back to her son, a dangerous glint in her eye. Curling her finger at him, she motioned for him to come closer. Against his better judgment, Daisuke did just that. In an instant, Hanako latched onto her son's ear with her thumb and index finger, yanking him closer.

"And what do **you** know?!" she shouted, irate, "I've been studying healing magic for fifteen hundred years!"

As soon as she released him, Daisuke's ears flattened against his skull. His face contorted in pain as his ears rang violently.

Hanako then turned the two men around and shoved them out of the room. "And stay out!" she snapped, slamming the door in their faces.

A faint groan drew Hanako's attention to the bed. Jasmine had just cracked her eyes open by the time her grandmother had made it to her bedside.

"Sobo?" Jasmine questioned, groggy.

The older woman gave her a rare, loving smile as she brushed the hair out of her granddaughter's face. "Hush, child. Save your strength." she whispered tenderly, "You fought hard and have made us all proud this night. Rest now. You've earned it."

Lulled by her grandmother's words, Jasmine fell back asleep, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

* * *

Daisuke stared hard at the door that had been slammed in his face, as if mentally commanding it to open. He didn't dare try to open it himself for fear of invoking his mother's wrath. Finally, he sighed in defeat, knowing that he was better off just doing what Hanako told him. He cast one last sour glance at the door before turning to Jackie.

"Come. It is late and I'm sure that you're eager to see your niece."

Jackie nodded and followed Daisuke through the hallways.

"So, Jackie Chan, was it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Haruto has informed me that you will be working alongside my daughter at Section 13 in regards to the current mess we're in. Is that correct?"

He nodded, "Yes, sir."

"I see..." Daisuke paused. He looked thoughtful, as if mentally debating something. He then nodded to himself, seeming to come to a decision of some sort. "Mr. Chan?"

"Yes?"

"I may be out of line here, but... may I ask a favor of you?"

"What is it?"

Daisuke sighed and folded his arms behind his back. "My daughter... Jasmine is... stubborn. She seems to be of the impression that... she needs to shoulder every burden by herself. I worry... for her health." He took a moment to look Jackie in the eyes, "While you are at Section 13, will you... keep an eye on my daughter?"

Jackie sensed that there was more to his concern than what he was telling him. "You're not just concerned about her overworking herself, are you?"

Daisuke sighed again and looked away, confirming his suspicions.

"What are you **really** worried about?"

Daisuke shook his head. "It's... not my place to say. Only Jasmine's. I promised her that I wouldn't say anything to anyone."

"Kitsune are bound by their promises..." he recalled.

"That's correct. The only thing I can really say is, keep an eye on her emotions."

Jackie only had to briefly consider it. After the way he had treated her and the fact that she had risked her life to save him and Jade, he decided that it was the least he could do. "I don't know if I'll actually be able to help, but I will try my best."

Daisuke rewarded him with a grateful smile as they reached Camille's door. "That's all I ask."

Opening the door, the two men walked inside to find Jade, Camille, and Ayaka all sound asleep while Fujiko gently rocked back and forth in the rocking chair, playing a soothing melody on her biwa. Camille had fallen asleep slumped over her desk, Jade was laying in an awkward position on the floor, and Ayaka was partially hanging off the edge of Camille's bed. There was a large pile of colorful paper cranes on Camille's desk, most of which had spilled off the edge, and hundreds more were scattered about on the floor, leaving very little room for walking.

"What **is** this?" Jackie whispered.

"One thousand paper cranes." Daisuke replied, smiling fondly at his youngest daughter, "There's an old legend that states that if you make a thousand of them you get a wish. They all probably folded paper cranes to wish for Jasmine's safe return, until they were too tired to continue."

"They did just that, My Lord." Fujiko confirmed, setting her biwa aside as she rose, "They even exceeded their goal of a thousand."

"Papa?" Camille awoke at the sound of her father's voice, lifting her head to look at him. When her mind fully registered the fact that her father was indeed in her room, the fog of sleep instantly lifted and she leapt out of her chair. "Papa!" Camille bounded across the room, carefully hopping over the paper cranes, and threw herself at Daisuke.

In her excitement, Camille had succeeded in also waking up Ayaka and Jade. They both sat up with sleepy groans, their eyes widening when they saw Jackie and Daisuke.

Ayaka immediately shot to her feet, blushing madly, and bowed deeply to Daisuke. "My Lord! I am terribly sorry! I did not mean to fall asleep! Please, forgive me!"

"Ayaka, please, there's no need for that." Daisuke chuckled kindly, patting Camille on the head, "It's been a stressful night for all of us and we're all exhausted. Besides, it's not as if you make a habit of falling asleep on the job."

Ayaka relaxed just a little, releasing the breath she had been holding. "Thank you, My Lord. You are too kind..."

"Jackie!" Jade bolted across the floor and flung herself at her uncle, knocking him over.

"Hello."

Jade hugged Jackie, then quickly pulled back when she caught sight of something dark red. Aghast, she took in the sight of Jackie's blood soaked sweater. Jade swallowed hard before she even dared to lift her eyes to meet Jackie's. "...J-Jackie?"

"It's not mine." he told her, sitting up.

"... T-then... Jazz..."

"It is Jasmine's, but she will be fine." he quickly assured her.

Camille glanced up nervously at her father, "Then... Tadashi is..."

"Also fine." Daisuke said.

The children stared up at the adults, puzzled. "Huh?" they asked in unison.

"Jasmine said that things need to change in the compound and that she would lead by example. When she won, she chose to spare Tadashi's life." Jackie explained with a smile.

Camille and Jade shared excited grins.

"That's awesome!"

"I told you that oneechan is the coolest!"

"But wait, you haven't heard the most amazing part." Daisuke said, "During the battle, Jasmine grew her second tail."

For a moment, there was only silence. Camille, Jade, and Ayaka were all astonished and even the normally cool and collected Fujiko appeared dumbfounded by the news. Daisuke was beaming proudly while Jackie felt alone in the dark. Clearly he was the only one who didn't understand the significance of the event.

"B-but..." Ayaka stammered, "I thought that Lady Jasmine was only thirty-five years of age?"

Jackie was surprised. He would have guessed, based on her appearance, that she was ten years younger than that, not one year his junior. Then again, he supposed that demons aged differently than humans did.

"She is." Daisuke confirmed, looking and sounding the part of a proud papa, "It was truly incredible. She even began to develop markings like my own."

"That is... nothing short of amazing!" Fujiko breathed, dazed, "I always knew that Lady Jasmine was strong, special even, but I never would have predicted **this**. To develop a second tail while so young..."

"Um... why is this so amazing, exactly?"

"Everything I read about Kitsune said that they only grow more tails after they've lived for a hundred years." Jade told her uncle.

"That's correct." Daisuke nodded, "To grow an additional tail before then is unheard of. The entire compound was shocked by it, but I bet that now they'll think twice before challenging my daughter to a dual again!"

"Can we go see Jazz now, Jackie? Please?"

"Not tonight, Jade. She is resting and besides that, it is past your bedtime."

"Aww..."

Daisuke laughed and patted Jade on the head while she pouted. "Worry not, young one. You may see Jasmine tomorrow." He turned to Fujiko, "Fujiko, would you please show Mr. Chan and Jade-san to their rooms?"

Fujiko bowed to him. "Certainly." She carefully made her way to the door and smiled at the Chans. "This way, please."

Niece and uncle followed the Jorōgumō out the door and down the hall.

"So, Jazz won, huh?"

Jackie nodded, "That's right."

"You know what all of this means, right?" Jade asked, looking very pleased with herself, "She totally saved us. That means I was right! Jazz **is** good! I **told** you!"

"Yes, Jade, you did. And I wish that I had listened sooner."

* * *

Jasmine awoke the next day to the sound of knocking on her door. Groaning, she struggled to open her eyes, finding her eyelids to be unusually heavy. She was still exhausted. She felt slightly light headed and even the simple task of moving into a sitting position seemed strenuous. A searing pain in her side shot up her spine as she moved. Her mind foggy, she looked down at herself to try to find the source.

She immediately noticed that she was laying in her bed, dressed in an old baggy black T-shirt and a pair of black basketball shorts. The sleeping clothes she had packed for her trip, her dazed mind realized. She was vaguely aware of a dull throbbing in her side, so she lifted her shirt up to investigate.

Jasmine's eyes widened when she saw her injuries. There was a deep gash along the right side of her abdomen that had been sewn up with many stitches, each puncture an angry red and slightly swollen. A huge bruise that was varying ugly shades of dark purple, red, and green covered the area of her ribs: she dropped her shirt back down in shock, the events of the previous night hitting her all at once in an almost incomprehensible slew.

With another groan, she leaned against the headboard of her bed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm really... alive?" she wondered aloud.

"Is that really so hard to believe?"

Jasmine's head snapped up to find that Daisuke had entered her room and was leaning against the wall by her door. He gave her a small smile, "I tried knocking, but you did not respond. I was concerned, so I let myself in."

Jasmine shook her head to show that she didn't mind. Her gaze fell to her hand. For a second, an image of red flashed before her eyes. She couldn't help but remember the feeling of the blood that had coated her hand last night. Both her blood and Tadashi's.

She could have killed him. The thought caused bile to rise in her throat and left a foul aftertaste in her mouth. She didn't understand the desire to kill. Yes, the stunt that Tadashi had pulled had made her furious beyond belief, but the thought of killing him, taking his very **life** from him, had honestly never occurred to her. She didn't understand what drove a person to kill another, and she never wanted to. The thought terrified her to no end.

Jasmine clenched her fist and looked back at her father in an attempt to dispel such gruesome thoughts. "A little." she said in response to his earlier inquiry. With it being just her and her father in the room she felt at ease, able to speak freely. "I mean, let's be realistic here. No one expected a half-breed to defeat a full-fledged demon."

"No one expected a human to defeat Shendu." her father pointed out, an eyebrow raised, "Or Tarakudo. And yet, here we are. Alive and well in a world not ruled by demons. Your heritage means nothing. You defeated Tadashi with your skill."

"I defeated him with pure dumb luck." she argued, frowning as she gazed at her new tail, "If I hadn't grown that second tail when I did, I'd be **dead** right now. Plain and simple."

"I believe that you still would have won regardless. You showed great perseverance."

Jasmine drew her knees up to her chest and rolled her eyes. "I persevered to not make an ass out of myself or our family!"

Daisuke blinked, taken aback. His daughter rarely ever used such language, save for extreme situations. "You're stressed." he observed, folding his arms across his chest.

She scoffed, "Nooooo, you think?" Jasmine sighed and averted her eyes at her father's reprimanding stare. "I'm sorry." she said quietly, "Yes, I am stressed. And frustrated. I volunteered to be a representative for our people and all I seem to do is muck it up at every chance I get. I can't ever find the words to make the agents at Section 13 understand that I mean them no harm, I can never find the courage to stand up for myself, and, to make matters even worse, I somehow managed to drag two innocent bystanders into our compound's politics. One of whom, need I remind you, is but a child, no older than Camille. I fail to see how I could have possibly failed any more spectacularly!" She threw her arms in the air with exasperation as she finished her tirade.

Daisuke took in his daughter's thoroughly distressed form with a critical eyes. "Jasmine..." he visibly hesitated, knowing that asking would certainly cause her temper to flare, "have you... been taking your medication?"

The indignation showed instantly on her face. Drawing in a sharp breath, she glowered hatefully at her father. "I don't need it." she ground out, her voice dangerously low.

"Jasmine..." he said again, his tone pleading, "the medication was prescribed for a reason. You suffer from a chemical imbalance-"

"I'm **not** weak!" she snapped, cutting him off, "I don't **need** any **help**!"

Daisuke was silent for a moment. "... Do you truly believe that needing help makes you weak?"

Jasmine said nothing, instead choosing to glare at her bed sheets.

Daisuke, at a loss, sighed and shook his head. "... We'll continue this discussion some other time. For now, Fujiko is here with some clean clothes. She'll be able to assist you if you require it. I'll be waiting outside for you when you're done. Your guests are eager to see you."

Jasmine didn't even acknowledge her father as he left the room. Fujiko stepped in not even a second later, smiling patiently. Walking over to her bed, she set down a white juban and a royal blue kimono decorated with cherry blossoms.

"Do you require any assistance?" Fujiko asked kindly.

Out of habit, Jasmine responded, "No."

Fujiko expected this, but stayed put. She watched silently as Jasmine swung her legs over the edge of her bed and slowly stood up. Dragging herself over to her suitcase, she pulled out her underwear and bra, then went back to her bed to set the articles down next to the garments the maid had brought her.

Fujiko had helped her dress when she was a child, the woman was practically like a second mother to her. So she didn't feel self-conscious about undressing in her presence.

Jasmine managed to pull her shirt off with a little difficulty, the same with her shorts and underwear. She was able to put on her clean pair of underwear by herself, but when it came time to hook her bra she ran into trouble. Any time she stretched her arms behind her back, a stab of pain would flare up from her wounds, causing her to recoil and hiss. She tried this several more times before sighing and dropping her hands to her sides. Begrudgingly, she accepted that if she was having **this** much trouble just trying to hook her bra, there was no way she'd be able to tie her obi by herself.

Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at Fujiko, looking downright pitiful. "... I need help..." she admitted quietly, as though saying the words aloud pained her.

Fujiko obliged, her smile never leaving her face. "You know, My Lady, there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. If you keep trying to carry every burden by yourself, the pressure will eventually break you."

 _"Too late for that."_ Jasmine thought bitterly, biting her tongue to stop herself from saying it.

* * *

With Fujiko's help, getting dressed didn't take nearly as long as it would have had Jasmine tried to do it on her own. The two eventually emerged from Jasmine's room to find Daisuke waiting in the hall just as he said he would. Fujiko bowed and excused herself, leaving father and daughter alone in the hallway.

Daisuke smiled warmly, "You look beautiful."

"I **feel** exhausted."

"Yes, well, that's what happens when you lose as much blood as you did. Plus, you drank a healing potion. You **know** what those do to your body."

Jasmine recalled her grandmother's lectures about the effects of healing potions. "Healing potions are ideal for healing severe wounds in the heat of battle, but should only be used if absolutely necessary. The potion speeds up the body's natural healing process and doubles its effectiveness, but it's taxing on the body's energy levels and can leave the user extremely fatigued as a result. Too many healing potions at once could even render the subject comatose for several days." she recited, "I remember. There was a gaping **hole** in my **stomach** , I didn't exactly have many options at that point."

"I understand." Daisuke held out the crook of his arm for her.

Jasmine eyed it suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

Her father feigned innocence. "What? Can't a father escort his lovely daughter whom he hasn't seen in over six months?"

They both knew it was a ploy for Daisuke to help Jasmine walk to the living room because she was injured. However, Jasmine was too tired to call him out on it and instead decided to indulge him by linking her arm with his. Mindful of his daughter's condition, they walked through the halls at a leisurely pace.

"What time is it?" Jasmine asked, remembering that she, Jackie, and Jade were supposed to have been picked up by their pilot that morning.

"It's almost noon. Mr. Chan contacted Captain Black last night about the situation. A pilot will be picking the three of you up tomorrow morning."

Jasmine nodded as her stomach gave a loud growl. Placing a hand over her belly, she became painfully aware of the fact that she hadn't eaten since breakfast the previous day. With packing for her trip she had been too preoccupied to eat lunch and she hadn't eaten dinner because she had been afraid that if she did she would have thrown up during her battle with Tadashi.

Daisuke chuckled, "Hungry, are we? Well, don't worry. I have the staff cooking brunch as we speak. They'll be making all of your favorites; bacon, eggs, sausage, French toast, pancakes, and waffles. I figured that since we had company and given your victory last night, a feast should be prepared."

Her mouth watered and her stomach rumbled again, louder than last time. She almost moaned at how delicious it all sounded.

"I thought that would make you happy." he grinned, noticing her expression, "Your guests seem rather excited about it as well."

Jasmine snapped out of her daze at the mention of her guests. "Oh, how are they? And how are Camille and mom?"

"Camille and Jade-san are playing out in the garden. The weather is perfect for that today. As for Mr. Chan and your mother, when I left them they were just talking."

As they approached the living room, Jasmine could hear laughter coming from Rin and Jackie. She spotted the backs of their heads as they sat together on the couch, slightly hunched over as if looking at something.

"How cute!" Jackie cooed as Rin grinned and pointed to something.

Curious, Jasmine released her father's arm and drew closer to the back of the couch. When she saw what they were talking about, she nearly choked on her own saliva. Apparently, her mother had dusted off an old photo album, but not just **any** photo album. It was a photo album filled with baby pictures of **her**.

Currently Rin was pointing to a photo of Jasmine that had been taken when she had been no more than a year old. She was laying on her back, wearing a small white juban, and staring up at the camera with big, innocent magenta eyes. Her white hair had been short, her fox ears poised for listening, and her little fox legs were raised in the air as if she were running. Her tail had been between her legs, grasped with both hands, with the tip in her mouth so she could gum on it.

Jasmine's face felt like it was on fire. A strangled noise escaped her throat, alerting the two to her presence.

"Oh, good morning, dear." Rin greeted, seemingly oblivious to her daughter's embarrassment, "Did you sleep well?"

"Mother... **What** are you **doing** with **that**?"

"This old thing?" Rin asked, gesturing to the album, "While we were waiting for your father to get you, I decided to pass the time by showing Jackie some old pictures. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course I mind!" she irritably snapped, "Don't go showing off old pictures of me to people!"

"Aww, but you were **so** cute!" Rin turned to another page and pointed to a new picture that caused Jasmine's cheeks to glow brighter.

Jasmine had been about five or six in this one and was grinning broadly at the camera. She had wrapped herself in a white bed sheet and placed a white doily upon her head. She held a bouquet of sloppily picked dandelions, some of which still had their dirt coated roots attached. Standing next to her was a German Shepherd plush that was almost as tall as she was, a black ribbon clumsily tied around its neck like a bow tie. They were both in front of a cardboard box with a stuffed panda behind it, a notebook filled with incomprehensible crayon scribbles lying open on the box in front of it. There were dozens of stuffed animals and dolls sitting in makeshift seats around them, as if watching.

"Do you remember this?" Rin asked as Jasmine's face grew steadily more red, if possible, "You told me that you were marrying your stuffed dog, Commodore Fluffypaws!"

Jasmine heard her father and Jackie burst out laughing and wondered if it was possible to die of embarrassment. "Mother, give me the album."

"You just want to burn it, don't you?"

"Yes! You're embarrassing me!"

"Well, I'm not going to give it to you." Rin playfully stuck her tongue out at her daughter. "Besides, I still want to show Jackie the picture where you painted your face to look like a pirate!"

Jasmine's eyes widened in horror as her mother began flipping through the pages. Throwing caution to the wind, she flung herself over the back of the couch, forcing Jackie to scoot over when she landed between them so she could make a grab for the album. However, Rin foresaw this and moved it out of her reach. Jasmine growled and followed her movements. Her injuries be damned, she was getting that album!

Rin leapt off the couch, clutching the album to her chest and grinning all the while. She ran to the back of the couch, her daughter hot on her heels. Jackie and Daisuke watched, amused, as the two bobbed and weaved around the furniture in the living room. Jackie had to admit, he was impressed. With Jasmine being injured and Rin being seven months pregnant, he never would have guessed that either of them could still move so swiftly and skillfully.

"Mother, get back here!"

" **Never**!"

"Give me the photo album!"

"You can't make me!"

"Can't you just act your age for once?!"

"I do what I want!"

"Oh, how mature!"

"Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional."

" **That** is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"No, **this** is the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard; Es ist ein Hund in meiner Hose!"

Jasmine paused, momentarily stupefied, just as Rin knew she would be. "That's... why... You're wearing a **dress**!"

Daisuke shook his head at their antics and decided to step in before things escalated any further. Suddenly, the photo album began to glow blue and floated right out of Rin's hands. Album in hand, he smiled as the females eyes turned to him. "I think that's quite enough for now. Neither of you should really be running around like this to begin with."

Jasmine pointed an accusatory finger at her mother, "She started it!"

"You're just so adorable when you're flustered." Rin giggled, "I can't help myself."

"That's no excuse!"

"Regardless," Daisuke cut in, "both of you should be relaxing. Jasmine, why don't you and Mr. Chan go sit out in the garden until brunch is ready? I'd like to speak with your mother in private."

Nervousness churned in her stomach as she looked between her father and Jackie. Yes, Jackie had apologized to her last night, but that didn't necessarily mean that he liked her any more now than he did when they first met. Plus there was the fact that she had clung to him and unabashedly bawled into his sweater. Between her blood and her tears, she had probably ruined the garment. Jasmine could only imagine what he thought of her now. She wondered if he still saw her as dangerous, or just downright pathetic.

To her surprise, Jackie rose to his feet and smiled at her in a friendly manner. "That's a wonderful idea! Jade and Camille have been asking about you since they woke up anyway." He walked over to Jasmine while she was still stunned and offered her his arm. "Shall we?" he asked hopefully, "There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

Briefly, Jasmine wondered if her father had put him up to it, but she took his arm anyway, too shocked to do anything else. Ever the considerate gentleman, Jackie carefully led Jasmine outside.

"Is there somewhere specifically you'd like to go, or did you want to just sit on the porch?"

"Preferably... I'd like to sit under the cherry blossom tree, please."

"Okay."

As soon as Jackie and Jasmine stepped off the porch, Jade and Camille caught sight of them, bringing their game of tag to a halt. The two dashed over as fast as they could, despite the fact that Jasmine wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Camille arrived first, as she had been racing on all fours as young Kits tended to do, with Jade skidding to a stop beside her shortly after.

"Jasmine!" the children chirped.

Jasmine offered them a weary smile and crouched down the best she could. "I trust that you two behaved yourselves last night?"

Jade and Camille threw their arms around Jasmine's neck, their grins taking up their whole faces. For a moment, it felt like Jasmine was going to fall backwards from the force with which the children had thrown themselves at her, but a well placed hand on her back from Jackie kept her from taking a spill. Jasmine hugged the girls tightly, contemplating how lucky she was that she had survived. She couldn't bear the thought of breaking the hearts of these sweet little girls who cared for her so much.

Jasmine pulled back and asked with a smile, "Did I make you worry?"

"Yes!" Camille pouted, "For a while, I was really scared that you wouldn't come back. That wasn't very nice of you, oneechan!"

Jasmine leaned forward and gave her sister an Eskimo kiss. "I know. I'm sorry. "I'll try not to worry you so much in the future."

"Yeah, you better!"

"Well, I wasn't worried." Jade claimed, earning stares of disbelief from both Jackie and Camille, "I knew that you'd kick that Tadashi guy's butt! I tried to tell Cam that, but she just wouldn't listen."

Camille shot Jade a dry look, giving her a chance to rectify her statement. When she didn't, Camille nudged her with her elbow.

"Er... well... maybe I was a **little** worried..." she amended.

Jasmine playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh, only a **little** , huh?"

Hoping to change the subject, Jade said, "Never mind that. Jazz, did you really grow another tail?"

"Oh, yeah! Show us, show us!"

Setting the children down, Jasmine flicked her tails from out behind her.

"That's **so** cool!"

"I hope I grow a second tail soon!"

Jasmine gazed pointedly at her sister. "You'll never grow a second tail if you don't master maintaining human form."

Camille flinched as if struck, her gaze dropping to the ground. It was an issue that she had been skirting around for months. She was nearly thirteen and had still not mastered the important art of hiding her tail while in human form. It was a common problem for all Kitsune, but Camille seemed to be having more difficulty than most. Each time she failed she became more and more reluctant to try again. It had gotten to the point where Camille had just stopped practicing altogether. Any time someone tried to bring it up, Camille would either change the subject or run off. This time was no different.

Camille quickly tapped Jade's shoulder and exclaimed, "Tag," before bolting.

Confused, but not wanting to be outdone, Jade chased after her.

Jasmine sighed and, with some effort, rose to her feet. Jackie lended her a hand. She would have protested, but she was still tired and didn't have the energy to do so. He led her over to the cherry blossom tree. Once they were in its shade, Jasmine took a seat, her legs curled up beside her. Jackie sat down next to her, sitting with his legs crossed.

For a few minutes, there was only silence between them. Though it was peaceful, almost content as they watched the children play, listened to their melodious laughter, and enjoyed the warmth from the sun as it shone down on them through the gaps of the tree branches.

It was a shame to have to break the silence, but after what had transpired last night, Jasmine knew that they needed to talk. Her stomach churned, she wanted to know exactly what he meant when he apologized and where they stood now, but had no idea how to go about asking. She inwardly cursed her lack of social skills and her limited experience with dealing with people regarding personal matters.

With Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo, interacting with them had been somewhat easier for some reason. At first they had been wary of her because of their previous demon and magic wielding "bosses", but once they realized that she wouldn't do things like burn them or turn them into ottomans for petty things like bringing her the wrong kind of tea, they had warmed up to her pretty quickly. It had taken a little time with each of them, both for them to get used to her and vice versa, but eventually they had all opened up and treated her as a friend.

Jasmine thought back on some of her experiences with the four men, hoping the memories would shed light on what she should do.

* * *

 **Okay, so the next chapter will be flashbacks and should cover them actually getting on a flight back to Section 13, so it might take a while and it will probably be long.**

 **1\. So to start, Chinese proverbs are weird. Some of them you read and they just make sense, and others you read and just go, ".. What?" I think this is one of those proverbs.**

 **2\. Sobo is apparently the way you're supposed to refer to your own grandmother. I looked it up, but I don't actually speak Japanese so I may be wrong.**

 **3\. I always wondered how exactly a healing potion would work, like how exactly it heals the user. This is basically how I think they would work.**

 **4\. Unless Google lied to me, Rin said, "There is a dog in my pants," in German. Rin knows that saying nonsense will throw Jasmine off. I figure that they would also take the time to learn other languages just in case a situation arose where they would need such skills.**

 **I think I covered everything, but like always, if you have any questions, just let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, I'm here. Don't really have much to say this time.**

 **TheWhisperingWarrior : ****Actually, I do intend for a romance to blossom between Jackie and Jasmine. I hope no one is too disappointed by that...**

 **Guest : ****Well, parents and baby photos kinda go hand in hand.**

* * *

Jasmine thought back on her experiences with the four men, hoping they would shed some light on what she should do.

* * *

Ratso was the first one who had opened up to her and the two of them had become fast friends mainly due to the fact that, while a little slow sometimes, he was actually a big sweetheart under his hulking exterior.

It had been a late night and Jasmine had been busying herself with reading through the extensive reports Captain Black had given her regarding Section 13's history dealing with demons, wizards, and magic. Ratso, who had been assigned to help her that day, had been sitting on her couch, quietly watching television until she needed him.

Jasmine felt her eyelids drooping. She had done nothing but read all day and now the words on the documents in front of her were starting to blur together. With a sigh, she set the documents down and rubbed at her eyes. Perhaps some tea would keep her awake...

"Excuse me, Ratso?"

The man visibly jumped at the sound of her voice. It was odd working for someone so quiet, especially when all of his other bosses had ranted and raved like lunatics and yelled at him, Finn, Chow, and Hak Foo all the time.

"Uh, y-yeah, b- uh, Jasmine?" He recalled her words about addressing her by her name. Finn always called her "boss", whether by habit or for some other reason, and she never got angry at him. Still, he knew better than to test the patience of a demon.

"Would you mind making me a cup of black tea with three spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk? Please?"

"Uh... sure." It was still strange to hear the words "please" and "thank you" from his boss. Nonetheless, he went into the kitchen and began to prepare tea. Ratso returned several minutes later and placed a steaming mug on the corner of Jasmine's desk.

Picking up the mug, eyes trained on the document in her other hand, Jasmine muttered a quick, "thank you", before proceeding to take a sip. She then paused, brow furrowing as she swallowed the liquid. She sniffed the drink and took another sip to make sure she was correct. "Ratso," she began, turning in her chair to look at him, "this isn't black tea."

"I-it's not?" he asked, dread settling in the pit of his stomach like a rock.

"No, it's camomile with ginger."

Ratso threw his hands up in defense as he recalled the temper tantrum Daolon Wong had thrown when he had brought him the wrong tea.

 _"You worthless worm!" he had bellowed, grabbing his scepter, "Are you really so incompetent that you can't even bring me the correct tea? Perhaps you'd be more useful to me as a footrest, since all you_ _ **can**_ _seem to do is sit around and do_ _ **nothing**_ _!"  
_  
The dark chi wizard had then turned him into an ottoman, and he had kept him like that for three days.

"I'm sorry!" he said, hoping his apology would appease her. He would prefer not to add to the scars Shendu had left him with.

Jasmine absently looked upwards, as if remembering something. Wordlessly, she rose from her chair and walked into the kitchen. Confused as to why he was still standing, Ratso cautiously followed her. Opening up the cupboard that held her canisters of tea, Jasmine frowned to herself.

"Actually, Ratso, I'm the one at fault here." she informed him, glancing at Ratso from over her shoulder, "Since I'm usually making tea for myself, I know which leaves are which based on the pattern of the canister or, if I have to, I can also tell by the scent. The thought of labeling them never occurred to me and I didn't tell you what canister the black tea leaves were in, either. I'm sorry about that. Tomorrow I'll take the time to label them so you and the others know which is which the next time I ask for tea."

Ratso gaped like a fish. Regardless of who he had worked for in the past, none of his other bosses had **ever** accepted the blame for anything. They were always seemingly blameless while he, Finn, Chow, and Hak Foo were always at fault.

"So... you're not going to turn me into an ottoman or something?" he asked hopefully as she sifted through the many tea canisters in search of the one she wanted.

Jasmine whirled around, eyes bulging. " **What**?! Why in Inari's name would I do that?"

"That's what Daolon Wong did when I brought him the wrong tea."

"That's absolutely ridiculous!" she exclaimed, looking irate, "Over **tea**?"

Ratso nodded.

Jasmine sighed, pushing a strand of her long white hair out of her face. "I assure you, Ratso, you won't have to worry about that with me."

Ratso watched as she went back to looking for the right tea canister. She pulled a canister from the cabinet and set it on the counter, then went searching through another cupboard for a cup. Ratso stared at the canister in disbelief, recognizing the cartoon image printed on it.

"Is that... the Gnome Princess from the Gnomekop comics?"

Jasmine flinched and glanced over her shoulder, embarrassed. "Erm... well... yes?"

" **You** like Gnomekop?"

"My sister got me into it." she admitted, "My dad got the canister for me on his last trip to Japan."

"So the Gnome Princess is your favorite?"

"Without a doubt! She's always brave. Even when she had been captured by Turbo Troll she wasn't afraid, she even insulted him right to his face!" she explained with a child-like grin, "I heard that in the next issue she'll get her own belt blaster and armor so that she can fight against Turbo Troll alongside Gnomekop!"

At Ratso's blank stare Jasmine realized that her excitement had gotten the better of her and she had said to much. Her face turned pink as she turned back to the cupboard. "Er... or so I've heard..."

"But, I thought that the Gnome King told the Princess that she wasn't allowed to fight because he was scared that Turbo Troll would destroy her like he did the Gnome Queen. Wouldn't he be mad?"

Jasmine's grin returned full force, "Oh, he does get mad. The Princess apparently ends up breaking into the royal armory, steals some armor and a belt blaster, and sneaks out of the castle in the dead of night. She does it because she says that she can't just do nothing while her people are suffering."

That night, Jasmine didn't get much else done in the way of work. But she did gain her first friend, one who she spent the rest of the night talking about Gnomekop with.

* * *

The second one to come around had been Finn.

When Jasmine had first arrived at Section 13, she only had kimonos to wear. She knew that she wouldn't be able to blend in with society in those, so she had asked Finn to take her to the mall so she could go shopping for new clothes. Once they had arrived, Jasmine had begun looking through a rack of what she would consider "business clothes". Things like blazers, blouses, slacks, and pencil skirts.

Finn eyed her with interest and curiosity. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of his new boss. She was part demon, but she didn't have a short fuse like Drago or Shendu. She could use magic, but didn't harm them with it when they made a mistake. Captain Black had said that she came from the most prestigious family in her compound, but unlike Valmont, she would frequently say "please" and "thank you" to them.

She was... quiet, Finn would even go as far as to say that she seemed... shy. Even when the other agents were giving her grief over her half-demon heritage, she wouldn't do or say anything. Jasmine would just sort of hang her head and silently slink off.

He had found it strange at first, but recently it just made him angry.

Ratso had told him that he had made Jasmine the wrong tea one night and instead of getting mad, she had told him that it was her fault. He also told him that she was apparently a fan of Gnomekop. She always cracked a smile at his wisecracks so he had always suspected it, but what Ratso told him cemented his belief that Jasmine couldn't be evil. She was just too... sweet.

Finn was brought out of his thoughts when he noticed something odd. Jasmine was still going through the rack, but when she picked up an article of clothing she'd check the size, then her face would scrunch up like she was disgusted, and then she'd drape it over her arm as if to purchase it later.

"What's wrong, boss?" Finn asked, "Don't like the threads?"

She looked over at him, then averted her eyes to the floor. "... Not really..." she admitted softly.

Finn stared, bewildered, as she began to move to the check out area. "Wait, where are you going?"

"To... the cash register?" she responded, thinking that the answer should have been rather obvious.

"Why? I thought you said that you didn't like those clothes?"

"Well... truthfully, I... don't."

"So why buy them?"

Jasmine sighed and hugged the clothing to her chest, refusing to meet his gaze. "At... the compound where I grew up, my father is the leader. I am his oldest child, so one day the role of leader will fall to me. As such, I... it's always been expected of me to look and behave a certain way."

Jasmine recalled how the other residents of the compound would watch her like hawks. They'd scrutinize every movement, every gesture, every word, every loose thread, and every hair out of place. They'd look forany excuse to judge her.

"Okay, but... what do **you** want?"

Jasmine's head snapped up, her confusion evident. "Pardon?"

"You're going to be the head honcho one day, right?" Finn asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Who cares what **they** expect. You'll be the one calling the shots, not them. 'Sides, you're not at your compound now and it's not like Section 13 has a dress code or something." He grabbed the lapels of his jacket and flashed her a grin, winking. "I just wear this 'cause I make it look good. No one can pull off a white suit like FinnHalen, baby!"

The remark had the desired effect as a smile broke out on Jasmine's face and a laugh escaped her lips.

"So, **Boss** , what do **you** want?"

Jasmine paused. Finn had a point, but she was so used to doing what was expected of her that she had never really considered what **she** wanted. Looking down at the clothes in her arms, her nose wrinkled in disgust. She did know what she **didn't** want, though.

She put the clothes neatly back on the rack before turning to Finn. "Do you mind... if we look around the mall some more?"

Finn chuckled and draped an arm over her shoulder. The way she acted reminded him of a child at times. "Sure thing, boss."

Jasmine stiffened, but quickly relaxed under his touch. She gave him a hopeful smile, "Do you... know if there's a hair salon nearby?"

"Yup! There's one right here in the mall. We can stop there first."

It was thanks to Finn that she made the decision to cut and dye her hair, as well as purchase clothes that she actually **liked** , the dark clothing she wore on a daily basis.

* * *

Chow was the next one to come around, as he was more cautious than Ratso and Finn. It had been late at night and Jasmine had decided to put her research on hold for the day. In an effort to relax, she booted up her video game console, popped in a fighting game, and plopped down on her couch in front of the tv.

It was then that Chow entered the room from the kitchen, a steaming mug of tea in his hand. "Uh, I made your tea, Jasmine."

"Thank you, Chow." she said without looking up from the screen, "Would you please set it down on the coffee table in front of me?"

Chow did as he was told and glanced at the screen. "Are you playing Medieval Evil?" he asked, brows rising high above his sunglasses.

"Yes, I really like this game." Jasmine glanced up at him shyly and asked, "Do you... want to play?"

Chow hesitated. Ratso had already told him of his experience with her and Finn had proclaimed that Jasmine was, "cool", but he still felt that it was best to be cautious.

Not wanting to anger her, Chow said, "Sure?"

Jasmine grinned broadly, stunning him for a moment, and handed him a controller. She was excited because when she had been growing up in the compound her mother had been the only one to play video games with her. Her father could never understand how to play and most of the games she owned were too violent for Camille to play.

She waited for Chow to sit down before she started the game. Once the battle began, the only sounds in the room were those of buttons being mashed mercilessly and the noises of the game itself. The battle went on for at least fifteen minutes as both players were equally skilled and determined. It wasn't long before they were both on the edges of their seats, peering intently at the screen, watching, waiting for the other to slip up. Finally the moment came where Chow's dragon incinerated Jasmine's knight before she could raise her shield, reducing the character to a pile of pixelated ash.

Chow shot to his feet, raising his arms in the air to celebrate his victory. The battle had been so intense that he had momentarily forgotten who he had been playing against. As soon as he remembered, all the color drained from his face. Nervously, he chanced a glance at Jasmine.

Instead of looking angry like he thought she would, she was grinning at him. "I want a rematch!" she playfully demanded. "I-if you don't mind..." she quietly added.

At ease, Chow returned her grin and sat back down beside her. "You're on!"

He decided that he could get used to working for a boss who wasn't a sore loser.

Ever since then, Chow had become her gaming buddy and they always set aside one night a week to play against each other.

* * *

Hak Foo had been the last one she had won over, mainly due to his bullheadedness, and it had only been recently that she had earned his respect.

It was right after the battle with the shikigami for the encrypted journal. Hak Foo had been injured during the battle and had sustained wounds to his chest and arms. Jasmine had wanted to take him to a hospital to be checked out, but he was too stubborn to go and she eventually gave up because she realized that taking him would just raise too many unwanted questions. Instead Jasmine found a nearby hotel, got them both a room, and used her magic to sneak him inside without anyone noticing. Once they were safely inside, Jasmine pulled out the first aid kit she always carried with her when she traveled and told Hak Foo to sit down on the bed and remove his shirt so she could tend to his wounds. The mercenary grumbled, but complied.

Jasmine knelt down in front of him, assessing the damage as she opened the kit. There were minor scratches littering his arms and torso and a particularly large gash across his chest. Luckily it wasn't deep enough to require stitches.

Jasmine pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and some cotton balls. Pouring some of the liquid on one of the cotton balls, she grabbed his arm and dabbed at his cuts.

Hissing, Hak Foo snatched his arm from her grip. "That **hurts**!" he growled.

Instead of shrinking back as he had seen her do so many times before with the agents at Section 13 when they became aggressive with her, she actually glared at him and grabbed his arm again.

"Well, I'm **sorry** , but I need to disinfect your wounds so you don't get some kind of infection. You know what those are, right? Terrible diseases that can, you know, **kill** you!"

Truth be told, Jasmine was miffed, both by his reluctance to go to the hospital and his recklessness in battle. She and Hak Foo frequently sparred in the mornings and she had lost count of how many times she had warned him **not** to announce his moves beforehand. Not only was it ridiculous, but it gave his opponent an idea of what to expect along with ample time for them to prepare a counterattack. That carelessness was what had caused him to get injured in the first place. Not to mention the fact that when she had tried to instruct him in battle, he had blatantly ignored her.

She knew why, too. Hak Foo thought of her as weak because of the way she held herself in social situations. It was for this reason that he had challenged her to a match the first day she had been introduced. Of course, with her strength and Hak Foo's bad habit, she had won easily. Despite that, he still sparred with her every morning, still believing himself to be stronger.

But right now she didn't have time to put up with his alpha male nonsense, she needed to treat his wounds.

Hak Foo had been taken aback by her attitude. He had never heard her use that biting tone before. He squirmed and hissed again as Jasmine went back to cleaning his wounds. "Be **careful**!" he snarled.

"I'm being as gentle as I possibly can, but this would be much easier if you would just **shut** **up** and **stop** **moving** so I can help you. This **needs** to be done **now**."

"Why do you care so much?"

She glanced up at him, then returned her gaze to the task at hand, looking somewhat exasperated. "Because you are my subordinate and you were injured in the field. As your... superior, for lack of a better word, it is my solemn duty to see to your well-being."

As leader of the compound, her father had often told her that a good leader takes care of and watches over those who they are leading. He had told her that she a leader needed to treat those serving under them with kindness and respect, they needed to be fair and firm, but never cruel. Jasmine had always taken those words to heart.

Her words gave Hak Foo pause. To all of his other employers he had just been a mercenary, hired muscle, **expendable**.

As he thought back on the encounter with the shikigami, he also realized that this was the first time one of his employers had fought alongside him **and** watched his back. There had been a few close calls where a shikigami had crept up behind him and Jasmine had interfered to save him. Looking back, he also admitted to himself that if he had listened to her instructions, he probably could have avoided getting hurt.

Hak Foo gave Jasmine a once-over as she tended to the injuries on his chest. Although she came off as meek, she was anything but in battle. She had been nothing short of a savage warrior against the shikigami, tearing them apart with what seemed like practiced ease. It led him to the conclusion that she held back in their sparring matches, for if she used her true strength he'd surely be dead. It made him question why she allowed the Section 13 agents to treat her the way they did. He decided to ask.

Jasmine hesitated a moment before responding. "Well... there's a few reasons for it, but it mainly goes back to what my parents taught me." she paused as she moved to disinfect his other arm, a small pile of bloody cotton balls collecting beside her. "Strength must be tempered with kindness. Just because they treat me unfairly doesn't mean that I should resort to violence to solve my problems. Besides, if I did that I'd just be proving them right. I won't allow them to drag me down to their level."

Silence. Then...

"You are weird."

"Likewise." she responded without skipping a beat.

"But..."

The change in his tone forced her to stop and look up at him.

"You have great strength." he conceded, "It was an honor to fight by your side and I look forward to doing so again in the future."

For the first time since they had embarked on their trip, Jasmine smiled as she again replied, "... Likewise."

* * *

Jasmine sighed and shook the memories from her head. Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo were all very different people from Jackie. Treating him the same way she treated them simply wouldn't work. Once again, she cursed her lack of social skills and was forced to admit to herself that she simply had no talent for interacting with people, especially on a personal level.

 _"As if I didn't know that before..."_ she thought bitterly.

"That kimono looks lovely on you." Jackie began, startling her, "Blue suits you."

Jasmine blushed and fumbled for a polite response. She wasn't used to receiving compliments and she certainly hadn't expected one from him. "O-oh! T-thank you..."

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you wear such... dark clothing all the time?"

She directed her gaze at the children. "I... have my reasons."

Jackie was confused by her vague response, but decided not to pry any further.

"I'm... sorry." she told him after a moment of silence.

"Sorry?" he repeated, "For what?"

"For... getting you and Jade involved in this huge mess."

"That's not-"

"And also for... blubbering all over you last night." she added hastily, mortified as she remembered it, "I must have gotten tears and blood all over your sweater, right? It must have gotten stained. I-I'll pay for the cleaning costs and if the stains don't come out, I'll pay for a replacement." She knew that she was rambling, her nervousness getting the better of her, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

"After the way I've treated you and after you risked your life to protect me and my niece, **you're** apologizing to **me** for possibly ruining a **sweater**?"

"... Yes?"

Jackie wasn't sure whether to laugh or just be concerned. It was apparent that Jasmine was being dead serious about her apology, but his sweater was nowhere **near** as important as his and Jade's lives. He recalled Fujiko's words about Jasmine's personality being complex and briefly wondered if this was what she was talking about.

"My sweater can be replaced. The lives of Jade and I cannot." he stated firmly, looking her in the eyes so that there was no misunderstanding, "I'M the one who should be apologizing to **you**. In case I wasn't clear last night, I'm... I'm very sorry for the way I've treated you. I treated you... I treated you like Shendu, and you're **nothing** like him, or any other demon that I've fought. I was **wrong** about you. I know that I have no right to ask this of you, but I hope that one day you can forgive me for my foolishness."

Jasmine was rendered speechless. She opened her mouth, but no words would come out. Her mind drew a blank, unable to fully comprehend what Jackie had said. He... had admitted that he was **wrong**. As daughter of the leader of the compound, there had been incidents in the past where her bullies were forced to give her empty apologies, but no one, not a single person, had ever before told her that they were **wrong**. It was a situation that she would have considered impossible.

"What? What is it?" he asked, unnerved by the odd look on her face.

Jasmine's mouth opened and closed a few more times before she finally managed to say, "... No one... has ever said that to me before..."

"What? Sorry?"

"No... There have been plenty of people to say that, though none of them were sincere like you. I meant... no one has ever told me that they were wrong. They always just... believed that they were right and... there was never anything that I could say or do to make them think otherwise."

Jackie could only feel guilt and sympathy. He couldn't imagine having to grow up like that. Not only ostracized, but tormented by everyone around, unable to do anything to change their mindset. "Well... I'm not blind, and I'm not too proud to admit when I've made a mistake."

Jasmine nodded absently. She then offered him a timid smile, "... Thank you. I know that... it's never easy to admit when you're wrong... and I appreciate you telling me. I... will admit that your behavior towards me... it **hurt** , but I can also understand your point of view on the subject. When every other demon that you've come across has been malevolent, it must be hard to imagine that **any** demon would be any different. And family is important, it's only logical that you'd be cautious when you're responsible for Jade's safety. I can't exactly fault you for it because I likely would have done the same if I was in your position."

He shook his head, "That's still no excuse. There's a difference between being cautious and being ignorant, and I was being ignorant. I didn't even give you a chance even though Captain Black trusts you. I ignored everything else and focused on... your demon heritage. You were right, you **didn't** choose to be this way, just like I didn't choose to be human. It was wrong and unfair of me to hold something against you that you have no control over."

Jasmine nodded, daring to hope. "I... accept your apology. Thank you, Mr. Chan."

"Please, Jasmine-san, call me Jackie."

"Okay," she agreed, "but only if you'll call me... Jasmine? No honorifics, just Jasmine."

He gave her a friendly smile, "Deal."

"Now that that's settled, perhaps we could... start over?" she suggested hopefully, "You know, begin with a blank slate?"

"I would like that." Jackie held out his hand for Jasmine to shake, as though they had never met before, "Hello, my name is Jackie Chan. I'm an archaeologist. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She found herself smiling at his antics. His smile was welcoming and there was a playful twinkle in eyes, putting Jasmine's normally over analytical mind at ease. She took his hand in hers to shake it, deciding to play along with his charade. "Hello, Jackie. It's a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Jasmine Heiwa. I've recently begun working for Section 13 as a researcher."

"You don't say? I also work for Section 13 as a researcher. What a coincidence!"

Jasmine's smile quickly grew into a grin she couldn't contain. Withdrawing her hand from his, she covered her mouth and started laughing. The whole thing was pure silliness and she was enjoying it wholeheartedly.

"Jasmine, if you don't mind, I'd like to try to understand more about you, your family, and all of... this." Jackie gestured to the arena around them, but Jasmine understood that he was referring to the compound as a whole.

She could understand his curiosity. Growing up, she had rarely ever left the compound, so most of the limited information she had about humans had come from her parents, books, television, and movies. Being thrust into the human realm so suddenly when she had gone to Section 13 had been a bit disorienting, but she still managed just fine. However there weren't very many accurate sources of information on demons and their culture and customs, which meant that Jackie knew less about demons than she had known about humans. She knew that that lack of knowledge must have been a bit frightening to him, at least to an extent.

"Of course!" she readily agreed, eager to be of assistance, "Ask me anything you'd like. I'll answer to the best of my abilities."

"Alright. First, there's something that I've been curious about since we arrived, but I didn't want to be rude..."

"Whatever it is, please feel free to ask. I won't take offense."

"Well..." Jackie glanced over at the door leading to the living room, as if checking to see if anyone was watching or listening, "Your mother... how... old is she exactly?"

"Mom?" Jasmine blinked and looked skyward, holding up her hands as if using them to count. "Let's see... mom and dad got married when she was twenty-four... and they had been married for a little over a year before they had me... so right now mom is... sixty."

"S-sixty?!" he shouted.

His outburst caused Jade and Camille to stop what they were doing and stare at him. Embarrassed, Jackie awkwardly waved "hello" to the children, letting them know that everything was alright. The girls giggled and waved back, then resumed their game.

Jackie turned back to Jasmine. "Sixty?" he repeated, quieter this time.

"Yes. She'll be turning sixty-one in September."

"How is that possible? You said that she was human. How does she look so young?"

"Well... that's because mom and dad are... mates."

Jackie recalled Fujiko referring to Rin as Daisuke's mate, but... no one had bothered to explain to him what exactly that meant in this case. "I... don't understand."

Jasmine fidgeted, averting her eyes. They were beginning to tread into... uncomfortable territory. "You see... when a demon finds someone whom they want to make their life partner, they perform something called..." she took a second to take a deep breath, her cheeks glowing a faint pink, "a mating ritual. This mating ritual is essentially marriage for demons and it's completely permanent. The ritual binds the souls of the two individuals and each person will bear a mark given to them by the other during the ritual, which will typically resemble a bruise. The bond forged between the two is special. They share each other's strengths, their lives. This bond is what allows mom to stay so young. Though if father were to die, it's very likely that she'd follow. If mother were to die, the bond wouldn't affect him the same way, but it's possible that he'd lose the will to live shortly thereafter."

"That's incredible!" he marveled, wide eyed, "What exactly does the ritual entail?"

She refused to meet his gaze, her blush darkening to a deep crimson. Jasmine awkwardly cleared her throat, "It... involves what you'd expect..."

Jackie stared at her, puzzled, for about thirty seconds until the definition of "mating" popped into his head. The color of his face soon matched Jasmine's and he looked away. "O-oh... I see..."

She cleared her throat again. "Do you... have any other questions?" she asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Uh, yes, actually. Tsuyoshi and Kumiko, they're **both** Inugami, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Do demons... **always** stay with their own kind like that?"

"Hmm... that all depends on the family. Some of the more... I guess you'd call them "prestigious" families prefer to stick with their own kind. Something about keeping bloodlines strong. However, there are many who do not care about that and simply want a loving mate."

"Is the Heiwa family like that? Where they prefer that you stick with your own kind?"

"Do you think that I'd be here right now if we were?" she chuckled, "Something important to know about Kitsune is that they highly value their freedom. They don't like being told what they can and cannot do, where they can and cannot go. They will typically pursue their happiness regardless of what others say, think, or want. Hence why my father married my mother."

"I see." he said, "And what did you mean earlier when you were talking to Camille? About maintaining human form?"

"Oh, **that**." Jasmine leaned back against the cherry blossom tree as she watched the girls, "You see, Kitsune have a great many powers and we gain more with each new tail, but one of the abilities we start out with and are most well known for is shapeshifting. With enough practice we can transform into pretty much anything you could imagine. There is, however, one slight problem. There's a bit of difficulty involved in hiding our tails. As children it's very common, but the problem can still be overcome with practice. Though even the oldest and most experienced Kitsune can accidentally reveal their tails, usually if they're startled badly enough or if they become too intoxicated to maintain the transformation."

Jasmine paused and sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Camille seems to be having more difficulty than others, though. She's almost thirteen and still hasn't managed to hide her tail yet. I fear that after having failed so many times before, she's just given up on the idea altogether."

"You said that Kitsune have many powers besides just shapeshifting?"

"Yes, very many. Stealth, speed, strength, enhanced sense, dream walking and dream manipulation, illusions... but most impressive, I think, is when a Kitsune gains their ninth tail, they are given the ability to see anything going on in the world at the moment." Jasmine cast him a sidelong glance, "When Shendu was first resurrected, it created a huge ripple of magic that was felt by the whole compound all the way out here. My father used his power to find out what had caused it and if it was a danger to us. That's how he found out about Shendu and Section 13. Similar ripples were also caused when Drago opened a rift to the Netherworld and father used his power then to find out that both he and Shendu had been banished, the talismans going with them."

"And... what powers do you have?"

"... Not many..." she quietly admitted, trying to hide the shame she felt, "You've seen most of them. Strength, speed, enhanced senses, foxfire... I also have a good grasp on shapeshifting and can create illusions on a small scale. I'm pretty good at crafting potions and casting spells, too."

Jackie nodded, seemingly satisfied.

Another comfortable silence fell between them. They watched as Camille tackled Jade, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The two took one good look at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles.

Jasmine smiled, _"This is how the world should be."_ Seeing the children together gave her hope that maybe her dream wasn't as impossible as it seemed at times.

Jackie shifted his gaze back to Jasmine. There was still one question he had left. "Jasmine, may I ask you one more question?"

She turned to him, waiting for him to continue.

"Why are you doing this? Why go to all of this trouble?"

She looked away. She had had a feeling that this would come up, but she had hoped that it wouldn't. Aside from a small handful of people, everyone else who she had told about her dream laughed in her face. While it was something that she had come to expect, it didn't make it hurt any less. Still, she and Jackie had just started being on friendly terms and she figured that she should just be honest with him. After everything that had happened she at least owed him the truth.

"If I tell you... do you promise not to laugh?"

"Why would I laugh?"

"Usually... when I tell people about my dream they laugh at me."

Jackie's gaze softened. He reached out to take one of Jasmine's hands into his own, startling her. "I promise that I won't laugh."

Jasmine could feel her face grow hot at the intensity of his gaze and stared at a patch of grass between them. He was giving her his undivided attention and she would have been lying if she said that it didn't make her feel the least bit vulnerable. Her chest tightened and her stomach started doing flips in protest. Her hand grew warm in Jackie's grasp and she wanted to pull it away before she started sweating, but she didn't want to give him the wrong idea or hurt his feelings.

 _"Focus!"_ she commanded her frantic mind, _"Use. Your._ _ **Words**_ _!"_

"... I-I have this dream. A dream that one day, humans and demons can live together in peace. That all this senseless violence can be forgotten and we can be... like that." Jasmine gestured to the children, who were blissfully unaware of their conversation, "I... I want that more than anything. That's why... That's why I'm doing all of this."

She waited for him to respond, but he never did. She could only feel Jackie's eyes on her as he released her hand. _"Please, say_ _ **something**_ _..."_

In truth, Jackie was too shocked to say anything. Last night as she had been crying and apologizing, he hadn't thought it was possible for him to feel like any more of a jerk, but after hearing her dream he was proven wrong.

Jasmine chanced a glance at him and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off before she was able to do so.

"The food is ready!" Rin called cheerfully from the living room.

The children didn't need to be told twice, they bolted inside without a second thought. Jasmine chuckled at their antics as she struggled to stand.

Suddenly, there was a hand in her view. It was Jackie, who was offering her a friendly smile. Grateful, she accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

As he walked her over to the living room, Jackie softly told her, "You have a wonderful dream."

Jasmine blushed and stared at the ground, but smiled nonetheless. "... Thank you."

* * *

The children raced into the dining room, nearly crashing into Fujiko, who was carrying a platter of food, in their haste. Eyes wide, the young girls tried to stop themselves before they collided with the maid, but their momentum was too great. Luckily, Fujiko had been working in the Heiwa household long before Daisuke and Chihiro were young, so she was no stranger to the dangers of rambunctious children. She simply reached out with two of her free hands, grabbed the children by the backs of their collars, and deposited them into empty seats at the table. Gaping, they turned to the maid.

Fujiko merely smiled as she set the platter on the table, "No running in the house. Behave yourselves, little ones."

Daisuke, who was already seated at the table beside Rin, smiled from behind his glass of orange juice, remembering the days when the maid had said those very same words to him and his sister.

Jasmine arrived with Jackie by her side a moment later. He led her to her seat and even pushed her chair in when she sat down. Jasmine would have protested, but she lacked the energy to do so, still exhausted from her fight. Instead, she chose to admire the spread on the table before her as Jackie sat down beside her.

Just as her father had said, the staff had indeed prepared a feast of breakfast food. On the table were platters of pancakes, French toast, waffles, bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, an assortment of different toppings including whipped cream, bowls of fruit, as well as pitchers of milk and orange juice. The aroma was heavenly and Jasmine's mouth watered as Fujiko came around to serve them. After piling their plates high with food, Fujiko took her leave and they began eating.

"I meant to ask," Jasmine started between bites, "have you found out the gender of the baby yet?"

Rin and Daisuke gazed at one another with tender smiles, love and pride in their eyes. Rin set down her cup of green tea and absentmindedly placed a hand over her stomach. Eventually she tore her gaze from her husband and returned it to her daughter. Rin opened her mouth to finally answer her, but Camille beat her to the punch.

"I'm going to have a little sister!"

Her exuberance earned chuckles from the adults at the table. The young girl was practically shaking with unbridled excitement.

"That answers that." Jasmine laughed, "Have you settled on a name yet?"

"Midori." Rin stated proudly.

Jasmine raised a brow. "Midori?" she repeated, deadpan, "Really?"

"Midori." she restated, pleased with herself.

Jasmine buried her face in her hand, her fingers covering her eyes. "You know," she sighed, "you're going to run out of tea one day."

"But that day isn't today." her mother declared, sipping her green tea.

Jackie looked between the two women in confusion. "Uh... run out of tea?"

She peeked up at him through her fingers. "Oh, that's right. You don't speak Japanese." She straightened up in her seat, blushing with embarrassment. "Mom is something of a whimsical free spirit." she sighed.

"You shouldn't sigh so much, dear." Rin teased.

"I will sigh as much as I please as long as you continue to be exasperating!" she told her, giving her a half-hearted glare. Jasmine then turned back to Jackie, ignoring her mother's quiet tittering. "Midori means "green" in Japanese."

"Okay..." He still didn't understand what the problem was.

Jasmine decided to elaborate. "It's something of a running gag at this point. Each time mom has been pregnant she's had cravings for different tea. Right now it's green tea, hence Midori meaning green. For Camille it was chamomile tea. And for myself..."

"Jasmine tea." he finished for her.

"Yes..."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Daisuke spoke up, "I think you have lovely names."

"Your opinion is biased, father."

"Don't be like that." Rin said, "Jackie, you think Jasmine's name is pretty, don't you?"

"Uh..."

"Oh, not this again! Will you cut that out?" Jasmine asked, "There's only so much of your insanity a normal person can take and you've done nothing but harass him since we've arrived!"

"That reminds me..." Daisuke interjected, "Speaking of your arrival, you mentioned something in your phone call about the Amulets of the Inari Thieves?"

Jasmine's expression became serious as she set down her fork. She supposed that now was as good a time as any to talk about it. She relayed her findings to her parents, making sure not to spare any details. When she finished, the ire in Daisuke's eyes was evident. She knew that inside he was absolutely furious.

Rin was disturbed by the news, nervously toying with her amulet. "They want... to corrupt the Pan-Ku Box using my... amulet?"

"Not just yours." Jasmine said, "Whoever this is seems to want to collect magical artifacts, starting with the Amulets of the Inari Thieves. They want it for whatever power it possesses. We need to try to get to them first. I'd like to take yours and lock it up in the vault back at Section 13."

Rin looked down at her amulet, then at her daughter. The fire of determination burned brightly in her magenta eyes. She could tell that Jasmine was dead set on setting things right and bringing this unknown villain to justice. Rin smiled, pride swelling in her chest.

When Rin had been pregnant with Jasmine, the brown eyed woman had been plagued with uncertainty. Like any new parent, she had had no clue how to raise a child and was always fearful of inevitability making a mistake. All she had ever really wanted was for her daughter to grow up to have the kindness to always help others and the strength to do what was right.

As she gazed at her daughter now, she was proud to see that she had grown to be everything that she and Daisuke had hoped for.

Reaching behind her neck, Rin removed the amulet with the waxing crescent moon and handed it over to Jasmine. "It was going to be yours one day, anyway. Though if it **does** have any power, I've never figured out what it is."

Jade watched as Jasmine tucked the amulet into the folds of her kimono. "Really?"

Daisuke nodded, "We of the Heiwa family are actually descendants of one of the Inari Thieves. That amulet has been passed down through the ages, but the knowledge of its power was lost to time. The only thing that may provide a clue is the book on the Inari Thieves we have in the library, but that's written in code."

"I will be working on the translation." Jackie said, "It's written in the same code as the journal and I have Jasmine's notes for translating it. We will he taking the book back to Section 13 as well."

"That's a good idea." Daisuke said, "And of course, I'll keep you up to date with my investigation."

A knock on the doorframe prevented any further discussion. The occupants of the table looked up to find Ayaka standing in the doorway, fidgeting anxiously.

"I beg your pardon, My Lord, but... there is a visitor."

Daisuke's brows furrowed, "I was not expecting company. Can you ask whoever it is to come back later? We **are** in the middle of a meal."

"Um, well, with all due respect, My Lord, you may want to reconsider. The visitor... It's Lady Kumiko..."

"What?"

"There's more." Ayaka continued, "She... specifically requested to see... Lady Jasmine."

"Did she say what this visit is in regards to?"

"No, My Lord."

"I see..." Daisuke leaned back in his chair, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Well, she's here to see you." Daisuke said, peering over at his daughter, "What would you like to do?"

"Send her in."

Daisuke would have been lying if he said that her immediate response didn't surprise him. "Are you sure? We could simply tell her that you are resting."

"No." Jasmine shook her head, "She took the time to come all this way to speak to me and after what I did to her son last night, I think that the least I can do is hear her out."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jasmine." he told her in a stern tone, "You upheld our traditions, fought honorably, and spared Tadashi's life even though you didn't have to."

"I know that. Still, I want to hear what she has to say."

Daisuke wasn't sure that it was a wise decision, but he could tell that Jasmine had made up her mind. He was concerned that Tsuyoshi had sent Kumiko to give his daughter more grief about last night. If that were indeed the case, Daisuke wasn't going to stand for it, especially not in his own home. He'd keep a watchful eye on the Inugami for the duration of her visit.

"Ayaka," Daisuke addressed the maid, "would you please send in Lady Kumiko?"

"Yes, My Lord." Ayaka bowed and scurried off to fetch the woman.

Lady Kumiko entered the room mere seconds later. She was as beautiful and graceful as ever, but she seemed unsure of herself, as though she was uneasy about standing before them. Her eyes met Jasmine's and she gave a slight bow.

"Pardon the intrusion. Good afternoon, Jasmine-sama." she greeted politely, her voice as pretty as her face, "How are you faring?"

"A few bruises," Jasmine replied honestly, patting her abdomen, "but nothing that won't heal. How is Lord Tadashi?"

"He has a broken ankle, as well as several cuts and burns, but... there was no permanent damage."

"That's good. I'm glad it wasn't too serious." Jasmine paused, "And... Lord Susumu?"

Kumiko's confusion was etched on her face, "Susumu?"

"Well, Lord Tadashi IS his older brother and I imagine that he must have been frightened about him participating in a duel. I know Camille was quite concerned for my well-being..."

A smile slowly stretched across Kumiko's lips. She was both pleasantly surprised and touched that Jasmine was concerned for **both** of her sons. "Susumu has been... quiet, but I believe that he will be fine, given time."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it."

There was another pause. Things were somewhat tense and the dining room was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Had Jasmine not been so tired, the whole scenario probably would have made her too nervous to properly sit still, but her fatigue made it impossible for her to react to the extent that she normally would. It also helped that her family was there with her, which made her feel a bit more at ease. Jasmine waited, only slightly unsettled as she waited for Kumiko to reveal the reason behind her unexpected visit.

Daisuke, on the other hand, apparently couldn't wait any longer. "Lady Kumiko, not to be rude, but as alpha female of the Sasaki family, don't you have duties to attend to? Why are you here exactly?"

"Father!" Jasmine hissed under her breath, shooting him a warning glance for his obviously intended rudeness.

To her credit, Kumiko did not allow herself to be flustered by Daisuke's words. As a parent, she understood perfectly well where he was coming from. "I may be alpha female of the Sasaki family, but first and foremost, I am a mother. **That** is why I am here today." Kumiko turned her attention back to Jasmine, "Jasmine-sama, I am here to express my profound gratitude."

Then, something remarkable happened. Kumiko got on her knees and planted her hands on the floor in front of her, bowing her head so deeply that her forehead nearly touched the floorboards. Her ears were pressed flat against her head and her tail was tucked between her legs.

Jasmine, Daisuke, Rin, and Camille all recognized the gesture and gaped. For Inugami, it was an act of submission, of acknowledging an alpha, a superior being. It wasn't an action done lightly. Tsuyoshi and Kumiko had never even bowed like that to Daisuke, and **he** was the leader of the compound. But here Kumiko was, directing the action at Jasmine...

Jasmine went stiff as a board, now wide awake. Part of her wanted to ask if this was all some sort of elaborate prank. Another part of her wondered if she was dreaming.

"Jasmine-sama," Kumiko began, her voice trembling with raw emotion, "thank you! My sons, they mean **everything** to me! If anything were to happen... to them... I would be..."

She trailed off, a hitch in her breathing. Jasmine could practically smell the salt from her tears. The woman was afraid, a state which no one had ever seen her in, and obviously couldn't shake the thought of what had almost happened last night.

Daisuke and Rin shared a look, understanding all too well how Kumiko felt. It had taken all of their willpower not to smother Jasmine with hugs and affection when she had woken up.

Jasmine fumbled for something to say. She didn't feel like she had done anything to warrant such words or actions and just saying, "you're welcome," felt... stupid, cheap even.

"Lady Kumiko, please... I haven't done anything so spectacular such as to deserve such kind words and gestures."

Kumiko raised her head, revealing tear stained cheeks. "Jasmine-sama, I am no fool. I have not been blind to the way the Sasaki family has treated yours, how my family has treated **you**. Tadashi had tormented you since you two were pups. Last night, you had the opportunity to exact your revenge and you would have been well within your rights to do so. Anyone else in your position would have done so. But you didn't. You gave him mercy."

Jasmine sat for a moment, mulling it over. She supposed that what Kumiko had said was true, but...

"Would that really have solved anything, though?"

"Pardon?"

"As you said before, there is a long history of arguing and violence between our two families. If I **had** killed Tadashi, the only thing it would do is ensure more hatred between us. The Heiwa and Sasaki families have been fighting for so many years, no one can even remember the original reason why. At some point, we need to stand up like adults and put an end to this nonsense. As I said last night, things need to change around here and I plan on leading by example. Besides," Jasmine offered her a tiny smile, "I'm of the belief that sometimes you need to do the right thing, even no one else knows what that is."

Kumiko stared in awe before smiling to herself and dropping her gaze to the floor. "... Yes. I... believe that you are correct, Jasmine-sama."

* * *

The next morning, the Section 13 jet arrived in the forest clearing bright and early. Jackie and Jade were bringing the luggage onto the jet so that Jasmine could say her good-byes to Daisuke, Rin, Chihiro, and Hanako, who had all come to see her off.

Jasmine looked between them, mildly concerned. "Where's Camille?"

"The last I saw her, she was pouting in her room." Hanako informed her.

Rin could see the disappointment in Jasmine's eyes. "Try not to be too upset. She was sad to see you leave the first time and she's sad now because you couldn't stay longer."

"I'd like to, but... the journal..."

"I understand."

"Speaking of," Chihiro spoke up, "Jasmine, you're not carrying that around with you, are you?"

"No, it's locked up in the vault at Section 13. Safe and sound."

"Good, good."

"At least now when you leave I can rest easy knowing that you'll be properly prepared." Hanako shot Daisuke a pointed look, "No thanks to my idiot son."

Daisuke rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He held his breath to keep himself from sighing at his mother, knowing that doing so would only make her complain more.

"So, there's supplies in those extra bags you brought out here?" Jasmine pointed to a pile of extra luggage her family had brought out to the clearing that Jackie and Jade were still loading onto the jet.

"I've packed for you some spell books and potion recipes, among other things."

Daisuke shook his head, exasperated. "Your grandmother insists that I didn't properly prepare you the first time you went to San Francisco, so she decided to take matters into her own hands this time."

"You didn't even prepare proper clothes for the poor girl the first time! Humans don't wear kimonos everyday anymore, **especially** in this country!"

She had a valid point, one for which Daisuke could make no rebuttal. "W-well... I..."

Hanako raised her hand to silence him, her expression disinterested. "Save it. I do not wish to hear your half-witted excuses."

Daisuke hung his head, defeated. Jasmine couldn't help but laugh at her father's expense.

"Jazz!" Jade called from the jet's entrance, "Everything's packed up. We're ready whenever you are."

Jasmine gazed at her family, a bit doleful. There was a part of her that didn't want to leave, of course, but she had to. One by one, she gave each of them a hug.

"Be careful." Daisuke warned her.

"I'll call you later with Camille so you two can talk. She'll be fine in a little while." Rin assured her.

"Don't do anything reckless." Chihiro advised her.

Jasmine hugged her grandmother last. "Keep working hard." she told her, "We are **all** very proud of you."

Jasmine felt choked up as she pulled away. She nodded, not wanting to risk speaking and start crying as a result.

Her family called out good-byes and more warm words as she stepped onto the jet. Jasmine sat down next to one of the windows and watched them wave to her as the jet ascended. Once they were out of sight, Jasmine, now back in her human guise, placed a hand on the cold window.

"Good-bye..."

* * *

 **1\. I'm making the assumption that Gnomekop is a comic book.**

 **And as usual, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, guys. Sorry, I know that it's been awhile, but this chapter ended up being longer than I anticipated.**

 **Guest:** **Thank you! I actually struggled a bit with the forgiveness and bonding scene because I wanted to make sure that I kept Jackie in character.**

 **TheWhisperingWarrior:** **Trust me, everything that I've included so far has been necessary. And as for your hopes about this chapter, I've managed to give you two out of three.**

 **amberlinclon3:** **Your wish is my command! (For some reason the stupid site won't let me include the dot in your user name. Sorry.)  
**

* * *

When the jet finally landed at the Section 13 hanger, Jasmine was met with a warm reception from Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo, Captain Black following just a few feet behind them.

"Hey, Boss. Welcome back." Finn greeted with a smile.

"We heard what happened." Chow said.

"How're you feeling?" Ratso asked.

Jasmine smiled and patted her side. "A little sore, but I'll be fine."

"Did you recover the amulet?" Captain Black asked, stepping forward.

"Yes, we did." Jackie responded, appearing beside Jasmine. "We don't know what power it holds, but we have a lead on how to find out. I will work on that while Jade finishes her book report."

"Aww..."

"I have some bags from my family to take back to my room, but after I do that I'll retrieve the Pan-Ku Box and the journal from the vault and continue working."

"Oh, don't worry about the bags, boss." Finn nodded his head at Chow, Ratso, and Hak Foo. They returned the gesture and walked onto the jet. "We'll bring 'em back to your room. You just go get the book and the box."

"... Are you sure? You don't have to."

"Sure we're sure. We **love** manual labor." Finn joked, "'Sides, I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting while you're injured."

"He's right." Captain Black agreed before muttering under his breath, "For once..."

Jasmine wanted to protest, to say that she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but the look Captain Black gave her left no room for arguments. With a "yes, sir," she handed the amulet off to Jackie and made her way to the vault.

* * *

"Open it."

"I'm not opening it. **You** open it."

Jasmine paused at hearing Finn and Ratso's voices. She had just made it back from the vault and placed her hand on the doorknob when she heard them talking.

"Won't Jasmine be mad about us going through her stuff?" she heard Chow ask nervously, "I mean, she **did** say that it's from her family."

"Somehow, I don't think she'll mind in this case." Finn remarked dryly.

Jasmine took a deep breath, bracing herself for the worst, and opened the door. "What won't I mind?"

Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo all jumped at her sudden entrance, the pile of bags her grandmother had packed her lying on the floor between them.

"Uh, well... you see, boss-"

"Look!" Chow shouted, pointing at the bags, "It's moving again!"

Just as Chow said, one of the bags on top of the pile was indeed moving, just ever so slightly. Jasmine's eyes narrowed and she silently motioned for the men to back away. Quickly, but quietly, she glided across the room and hid the journal and the Pan-Ku Box in one of her desk drawers. She then cautiously approached the wriggling bag and reached for the zipper, prepared to throw foxfire if necessary. As soon as she pulled the zipper open, something popped out, causing Jasmine to jump back in surprise.

"Oneechan!"

Jasmine gaped and the foxfire that had gathered in the palm of her hand fizzled out of existence. The creature that had leapt out of the bag was her own younger sister. As if to make matters worse, another head poked out of the bag, this one belonging to none other than Susumu Sasaki.

Camille stretched her arms above her head as Jasmine stared on in horror. "I thought that plane ride would never end." she commented nonchalantly to Susumu.

 _"This is not happening..."_ Jasmine covered her eyes, praying that the image before her was the product of a bad dream. Perhaps she had had simply fallen asleep on the jet and when she awoke the jet would be landing in the Section 13 hanger and Camille and Susumu would be back at the compound like they were supposed to be. However, as she peeked through her fingers she realized that that was not the case, much to her chagrin. _"I'm going to be charged with kidnapping..."_

"What are you **doing** here?!" she cried.

"Gee, nice to see you too." Camille replied bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Camille, this isn't a game, this is serious! It's too dangerous for you to be here!" Jasmine pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, "I'm calling father right now to have someone come pick you up. You two need to go home **immediately**!"

" **No**!"

Jasmine's finger froze over the dial pad, startled by Susumu's sudden outburst. In a matter of seconds the young boy was in front of her, his small hands tugging on her pant leg. He was frowning, his eyes pleading. He looked almost scared, but angry at the same time.

"I don't **want** to go back! I **never** want to go back!"

Jasmine dropped down on one knee so she was eye level with the child. "Lord Susumu, please, think about this."

Chow glanced at Finn, mouthing the word "lord" in question. The redhead shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what was going on either, but he figured that he'd have plenty of time to ask later.

"Your family must have noticed that you're missing by now and I'm certain that they're worried **sick**! Please consider how Lord Tsuyoshi, Lady Kumiko, and Lord Tadashi must be-"

"I **hate** Tadashi!" Susumu snapped, startling Jasmine once again. "And I don't care how **he** or mom and dad are feeling right now! It's not like they've ever cared enough to think about how **I** feel!"

She sat there in shock for a moment, allowing Susumu's words to sink in. "... Lord Susumu-"

"And don't call me lord." he interrupted, eyes downcast, "I don't like it. It... it makes me sound like... like something I'm not. I'm just a kid. Just call me Susumu. Please..."

"Okay then... Susumu... why are you so angry? Why don't you want to go home?"

He met Jasmine's eyes for a few seconds, then glanced at Camille. "No one lets us be friends at home. It's not fair."

Jasmine looked towards her sister. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since you left."

"Tadashi and dad don't like it when we play together, so we always tried to do it in secret. Sometimes they found out though, like the day Camille brought Jade with her. They always scold me and tell me to stay away from her and your family because all humans are cruel and evil, but they're **wrong**! Camille is fun and treats me like a normal kid, unlike the other kids at the compound who just want to get close to me because I'm part of the Sasaki family. And Miss Rin is really nice. She'd always offer me cookies and sweets whenever Camille and I would play in the garden."

Susumu paused, clenching his fists as he gazed up at Jasmine. "All my life... they've always told me how I should think and feel, but... no one's ever **asked** me what **I** think or how **I** feel. I've always been expected to just go along with what they say. You... you're the first person to ever ask me what I think, what I want. Not even Tadashi has ever done that. Mom and dad and Tadashi... they're stupid. That's why... I don't want to go back."

Jasmine knew that Tsuyoshi had forced his intolerance of humans onto his sons, but it seemed that rather than blindly accepting his words as truth, as Tadashi had done, Susumu had decided to form his own opinions. "Have you tried talking to your father or brother about this?"

Susumu nodded, "Of course I have, but they never listen. They say that I don't know what I'm talking about because I'm young. And if mom agrees with me she's never said it. We're just expected to go along with what dad says because he's alpha. It's stupid. **They're** stupid."

Jasmine sighed. She understood where the boy was coming from, but... "I'm sorry, Susumu, but I still have to have someone come take you two home."

"But, why?"

"Well, for one thing it's dangerous here. The longer you and Camille stick around the greater the chances of you two getting hurt. For another thing, the relationship between our two families is more strained now than ever, thanks to that duel with your brother. You staying here with me at Section 13 could potentially be viewed as kidnapping and that could start a war within the compound."

Susumu stared at the floor, nodding slowly. He understood her position. He didn't exactly like it, but he understood it and didn't hold it against her.

Jasmine patted his shoulder as she dialed her father's number. "I'm truly sorry, Susumu, but my hands are tied."

"... I understand."

* * *

After a quick call to her father and a conversation with Captain Black, an arrangement was made where a messenger from the compound would arrive in a few days to pick up the children. Until then, they were given rooms at Section 13 and would be watched by Ratso and Chow to keep them out of trouble.

It was a few hours after the whole mess before Jasmine was able to return to translating the journal with Finn on standby in case she needed his assistance. The only nice thing was that she had almost finished translating the entire journal. There were only a few pages left...

"Sooo..." Finn began, "... eventful trip?"

A burst of dry laughter escaped her lips. "That's one word for it. Dangerous, deadly, and stressful would all also be appropriate."

He quirked a brow, "That bad, huh?"

Jasmine gave him the details of her trip as she worked, not noticing how wide his eyes had become by the end of her tale.

"Shit..." he breathed, "Duels... that kinda thing is **normal** for demons?"

"Sadly, yes. Demons can be brutal by nature, which is why humans view us in such a negative light. I hope to put an end to them one day."

"Yeah, good luck with that." he remarked dryly.

Suddenly, Finn's cell phone rang. Checking the number, he said, "I gotta take this," and moved into the kitchen. Jasmine continued to work, but was able to hear bits and pieces of Finn's conversation thanks to her enhanced hearing. Normally she would have tuned him out as she didn't like to eavesdrop, but there were two words that caught her attention. "Frank" and "hospital".

She knew from past conversations that Frank was the name of Finn's nephew. Hearing the word "hospital" thrown into the mix made it impossible for her to concentrate. Jasmine put down her pen and peered into the kitchen. Finn's face was much paler than normal and his expression was grim, a stark contrast to the cocky smirk he usually wore.

Finally, he said, "I'll be there," and ended the call. Visibly distraught, he walked back over to Jasmine. "Boss... my nephew, Frank, he's in the hospital. Has to have his appendix removed..."

"Go."

"The surgery's in an hour and... I don't know when I'll get back. But he's asking for me. He sounds so scared."

"Finn, go!" she urged, "Family is important and you need to be there for your nephew. I can handle this on my own. Just go."

Finn gave her a shaky smile, "Thanks, boss. You're the greatest."

"You're welcome." she replied, smiling back, "Now quit wasting time and **go**!"

"Right, right. Gotta go." Finn rushed for the door, but crashed into the wall beside it in his haste. Rubbing his nose, he quickly opened the door and sped out of the room.

Jasmine merely shook her head before returning to the journal.

* * *

It was 7:30 at and Captain Black had decided to call it quits for the night when Jasmine burst into his office without any warning. Her face was ashen, her eyes wide. She appeared to be in a state of shock.

"Woah, where's the fire?"

"... I've finished translating the journal..." Her voice was void of emotion.

He waited for her to say more, but she didn't. She almost looked like she was in a trance. "And your findings?"

Jasmine stepped forward and sank heavily into one of the chairs in front of his desk. "... Most of it was theorizing how to conjure a spell to corrupt the Pan-Ku Box. The good news is whoever wrote the journal doesn't yet know where the other amulets are."

"And the bad news?"

"... They... did know where one amulet was. The amulet with the waxing crescent moon..."

Captain Black's brow furrowed. "But, isn't that the one your mother gave you?"

"Yes, and it gets worse. This person referred to mom by **name**. And my father, my sister, and myself were also mentioned **by** **name**."

"What?! Are you sure?"

"I wish that I wasn't, but yes. I'm sure." Jasmine responded woefully, "This person knew who we were and knew that mom had the amulet. They **hate** us and want to create a utopia for demons. Whoever this is... it has to be someone within the compound. It's the only possible explanation... It would also explain why the bunker was so close to the compound... But... why would someone betray us like this?"

"... Did you... inform Mr. Heiwa yet?"

"... No. Not yet." Jasmine buried her face in her hands, "But... I can't send Camille home now. This person, they want to hurt her... they want to hurt my family. Dad can't be everywhere at once and the staff have their hands full protecting mom. I don't know what to do... Who would do this?"

Captain Black recalled the phone call he received from Jackie informing him that Jasmine had been injured by another demon at the compound. "What about that Tadashi Sasaki character? Any chance that he's the one behind this?"

"Tadashi?" she glanced up at him, then shook her head, "No. I can confidently say that he and his family have nothing to do with this."

"How can you be so sure? I thought they hated humans."

"Well, they do, but the Sasaki family has always had this sort of... code of honor. They want to do what's right for demon kind. They are... disgusted by Shendu and his ilk. There are over a thousand documented cases of those eight demon sorcerers lying to, betraying, stealing from, or even slaying other demons simply because it was convenient for them to do so. They'd just as easily stab each other in the back and they were family! The Sasaki family has always believed that demons shouldn't fight with each other, but thrive together. I've seen it with my own eyes, so I know that they wouldn't jeopardize the lives of innocent demons like that."

Captain Black stared blankly.

She shrugged, "... Things at the compound are... complicated."

He sighed, leaning back in his chair, "If that's the case... why not have your sister stay here with you?"

"Sir?"

"It'll be easier for you to work if you know she's safe, right?" he reasoned, "She can stay here. One less thing for you to worry about."

Jasmine shot to her feet, momentarily at a loss for words. The swift movement caused an uncomfortable tug on her stitches, causing her to wince.

"Careful!"

"Thank you, sir!" she said, brushing off his concern, "Tomorrow, I'll start bright and early on research for conjuring the locator spells for the amulets."

"Actually, about that..." he paused, scratching the back of his bald head, "tomorrow... I think you should take the day off."

"... Sir?"

"Listen," he began with a sigh, "you've been working nonstop since you've arrived, you haven't left despite the immature behavior of the other agents, and you've gotten injured saving the lives of one of my closest friends and his niece. Tomorrow, I just want you to relax and take time out for you. Go shopping, see a movie, visit a museum, something! I don't want to find you here tomorrow working. Understand?"

"But, sir-"

"No buts, Jasmine. That's an order. I can't have you running yourself into the ground. We need your help."

Jasmine sighed. She could recognize that there was no use arguing with him on this matter. His mind was made up and nothing she said or did was going to change it. Reluctantly, she replied, "Yes, sir."

* * *

When Jasmine returned to her room she immediately called her father and relayed her findings to him. He nearly had a heart attack when she told him, especially when she told him that someone wanted to hurt Rin. Daisuke agreed with her that having Camille stay at Section 13 would be best. Initially he wanted to have Rin leave the compound and go to Section 13 as well, but Jasmine quickly pointed out that she'd never agree to that. Rin was stubborn and a fighter right down to her core. She didn't **run** from danger. It simply wasn't in her nature. Instead, Daisuke assured her that he'd have Haruto stay with her at all times. He told her that he would be on the lookout for anyone acting out of the ordinary and ended the call by telling Jasmine to be careful.

Sighing, Jasmine hung up the phone and ran a hand through her hair. Her mind was racing as she took a seat at her desk.

She didn't understand why someone was doing all of this. Was her existence really so terrible that the return of a tyrant like Shendu was preferable? She had never thought so, but clearly someone disagreed. And why did her existence bother them so much? Was it simply because she was part human?

She didn't understand the hatred between humans and demons, never had. Couldn't both sides see that they weren't that different from each other? They were both living beings with thoughts, feelings, and emotions. All of their hatred and resentment boiled down to fear. Fear that stemmed from a lack of understanding. But neither side seemed willing to set that fear aside so that they could actually **try** to understand one another...

Jasmine jumped as the alarm on her phone went off. She checked the display, it was 8:00 pm. She deactivated the alarm and stuffed the device back into her pocket. Reaching into her desk drawer, she pulled out an all too familiar orange pill bottle and set it on top of her desk.

Jasmine gave the bottle a hateful stare, painful childhood memories floating to the surface of her mind.

 _"You're so weak! Can't you do_ _ **anything**_ _on your own?"_

 _"God, you're so sensitive. Stop overreacting to everything!"_

 _"Look, she's crying! Better call daddy for help!"_

Jasmine's fingernails dug into her scalp, her eyes clenched shut at the unbidden thoughts. _"Shut up!"_ she commanded, with little success, _"Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm not like that! I'm not_ _ **weak**_ _! I_ _ **don't**_ _need_ _ **help**_ _! I'm just_ _ **fine**_ _, damn it!"_

All of a sudden, Jasmine heard a loud crash from outside her room, the sound of stone breaking, followed by the piercing scream of a young girl.

 _"Jade!"_ Jasmine realized, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

She jolted out of her chair, knocking it over in the process, and bolted out of the room, making a beeline for the source of the ruckus. The vault.

* * *

The first thing she noticed when she arrived was Jade trembling in the doorway of the vault. **Jade** , the girl who had faced Tarakudo without flinching, was **trembling** , frozen in terror. Jasmine felt cold dread settle in the pit of her stomach. Something was very **wrong**.

"Jade!" Jasmine called out, rushing to her side, "What's going on? Are you alright?"

But the normally spunky girl didn't even acknowledge her. Her face was snow white, her mouth agape, and she appeared to be suspended in a state of fear.

With no other choice, Jasmine finally peered into the vault and sucked in a sharp breath at what she saw. Two shikigami had broken into the vault via the ceiling, explaining the crash she had heard, and were currently tearing through the drawers embedded in the walls. No doubt they were searching for the encrypted journal and the Pan-Ku Box, which were thankfully still in her room.

The strange thing was that these shikigami weren't like the ones she had encountered before. It seemed that this time their master had stuck the little paper bound spirits inside crafted clay bodies, a practice which Jasmine knew had not been done for thousands of years.

Their forms were nothing short of horrific, as if the beasts had just crawled out of a horror movie. In a twisted way, their gray forms almost resembled a human's. They were gaunt, the outlines of their makeshift ribs visible in their torsos. Their arms were gangly and attached to large hands with even larger claws, their legs bent like those of a dog's. Their faces were the most perverse thing about them. Their eyes were just empty black sockets. Their jaws appeared to be unhinged, bouncing with their jerky movements and lined with rows of razor sharp teeth.

Jade's reaction, Jasmine decided as she carefully moved herself in front of the girl, was more than justified. Whatever sick individual had painstakingly crafted these monstrosities had clearly done so with one thing in mind. To **kill** whoever got in their way.

For whatever reason, the shikigami hadn't seemed to notice the presence of the two females despite Jade's earlier scream, so Jasmine took a moment to analyze the situation before she acted. Jade was in no condition to run, that much was obvious at a glance. Her fear had temporarily turned her into little more than a breathing statue. Jasmine couldn't just run away with her though. While the journal and Pan-Ku Box weren't currently in the vault, there were other powerful magical artifacts that they couldn't risk falling into the wrong hands.

Jasmine clenched her fists, coming to the grim realization that she would have to try to stop them **and** protect Jade. She only hoped that she was not the only one in Section 13 who had heard the commotion.

It was then that one of the shikigami turned and saw them. It released an unearthly howl, alerting the other that they were not alone. The other shikigami discarded the drawer in its hand and crept closer. Jasmine cautiously inched forward, making sure she stayed directly in front of Jade. The shikigami merely stared at her, empty sockets boring into her, silently daring her to make the first move. But Jasmine wouldn't rise to the bait, she moved into a fighting stance and waited patiently. She couldn't afford to be reckless with Jade there.

Finally, one of the shikigami let out a frustrated growl and took a swing at her, the other following suit. Jasmine dodged the first attack and just barely managed to dodge the second by slipping behind them before grabbing their wrists and tugging their arms in a way that caused them to knock heads.

Jasmine was vaguely aware of a sharp pain in her side, but she ignored it as the beasts growled and turned to her. She had more important things to worry about at the moment.

One of the shikigami lunged at her suddenly, knocking her into the wall with such force that her skull bounced off the metal. She groaned, and the next thing she knew the shikigami had her pinned. Its ugly mug was only inches away from her, its large hands pressing her shoulders into the wall while its teeth drew closer to her neck. Thinking fast, Jasmine opened her mouth and shot a blast of searing foxfire at its face. The beast roared and released her, allowing her to drop down and slip behind it. As it reached for its injury, she grabbed the back of its head, planting her free hand on the wall for leverage, and slammed its face repeatedly into the wall. The shikigami tried to brace itself, but it was futile. Jasmine had overpowered it and it seemed that nothing would stop her from delivering her brutal punishment.

"Jasmine!"

Hearing Jade calling her name caused her to stop and whirl around. The other shikigami was slowly creeping towards Jade with a twisted grin forming on its deformed face. Jade, terrified, was backpedalling to get away, but was about to hit a wall.

Jasmine growled dangerously, her blood feeling like a raging river of fire as it coursed through her veins. She was livid, and it showed as her pupils turned to slits and her irises began to glow. Tossing the shikigami in her hand aside like a used rag, she stalked over to her new target.

The shikigami was so focused on Jade that it didn't notice Jasmine come up beside it until it was too late. She batted the beast aside like it was little more than a pesky insect. The shikigami was sent flying into the wall, leaving a sizable dent in the metal, before falling to the floor on its stomach. Jasmine's murderous aura was practically palpable as the beast gazed at her from over its shoulder.

She stomped her foot down on its back, earning a noise of pain. "Don't you **dare** ," Jasmine seized its wrists, "lay a **finger** on her!" She pulled the beasts arms, teeth grit, until she successfully tore them off. It let out a pitiful whine as she tossed the severed limbs aside. Removing her foot from its back, Jasmine plunged her hand into its torso to extract the paper doll that was the source of the shikigami's life.

Just as the doll had been reduced to ash in her hand, Jade had regained enough sense to sound the alarm. With the alarm blaring, Jasmine turned back to the other shikigami, only to catch a glimpse of it jumping into the hole it originally came through with a very important, very dangerous artifact in hand.

Jasmine gasped, the fire of her rage extinguished by icy fear. "The mask!" she shouted, aghast, "Tarakudo's mask!"

She moved to chase after the shikigami when another wave of pain shot up her spine. Hissing, she stopped short and pressed a hand to her side where she had felt the sensation originate from. Jasmine's brow knit in confusion as she ignored another spike of pain. The fabric of her tank top was **wet**. Pulling her hand back, she winced, seeing her palm coated in her own blood. She came to the conclusion that she must have torn some of her stitches during the fight.

The sound of numerous footsteps marching towards them drew Jasmine's attention to the vault entrance. Captain Black had arrived, a small battalion of Section 13 agents with him. They all gaped at the scene before them; Jade, Jasmine with her palm coated red, the damage the shikigami had done, the battered remains of the shikigami Jasmine had stopped, and Tarakudo's missing mask. For several minutes, no one spoke.

Jasmine clutched her side, the pain making itself more pronounced as the adrenaline wore off. Nervousness churned in her gut and she felt frozen in place. There were so many people in front of her, staring at her. Her heart began racing and her hands felt numb. She could only guess what they were thinking, but by the looks on their faces, she could tell that it wasn't anything good.

Captain Black met her gaze, "Jasmine, what-"

" **What** is going **on**?!"

Jasmine's whole body went stiff upon hearing the all too familiar shrill female voice.

Several agents were pushed to the side as a fair skinned young woman made her way to the front of the crowd. She had long blond hair piled in a neat bun atop her head and blue eyes. Her red lipstick coated lips were pulled into a frown and her red painted fingernails drummed impatiently against her hips as she waited for an answer. The woman was dressed in a blue blazer, a white button up shirt, a blue tight fitting skirt that stopped just below her knees, and a pair of blue high heels.

Jasmine could feel sweat beginning to collect on her forehead, her chest constricting. Agent Jessica Smith had arrived...

Agent Smith took one good look around the vault before sending an accusatory glare in Jasmine's direction. "What did **you** **do**?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Her chest felt tight, so tight it hurt.

Jade, seeing this, quickly leapt to her defense. "Jazz didn't **do** anything! These two..." Jade struggled for words. She had no idea **what** those creatures had been. "... things... broke into the vault and started trashing the place! Jazz protected me!"

"But you let them get away with Tarakudo's mask?" Agent Smith asked, approaching Jasmine, "How could you let that happen? Don't you know how **dangerous** that thing is?!"

Jasmine started to feel faint, though whether it was due to the situation or the blood she was losing, she wasn't sure.

"That's not fair!" Jade shouted, pointing angrily at Agent Smith, "Jazz was protecting me and she was outnumbered! I'd like to see **you** do better!"

"But I'm just a **human**. Surely two intruders shouldn't have been a problem for a **powerful** **demon** such as yourself."

Agent Smith stood directly in front of Jasmine now, close enough to hit her if she wanted to. Jasmine couldn't seem to remember how to breathe.

"How did the intruders even find us? Section 13 is top secret, so how did they know about the vault in the first place?"

Jasmine said nothing, staring at the agent with wide eyes.

"Well?!" Agent Smith demanded.

"I-I don't know..."

"You don't know? How convenient!"

"Agent Smith, you are out of line!" Captain Black intervened, "You can't possibly be suggesting that Jasmine is working for the enemy."

"Regardless of whether she's working for the enemy or not, any way you look at it, **she's** responsible for the mask being stolen."

"How is it Jazz's fault?" Jade asked with a glower.

"You know magic, right? Isn't there some kind of protective spell you could have cast on the vault? Even if the Pan-Ku Box wasn't in here, the vault still houses several dangerous items. It's only **common** **sense** that the enemy would try to steal them if the opportunity presented itself. You essentially **handed** it to them on a silver platter! This is **all** **your** **fault**!"

All of the color drained from Jasmine's face as the weight of Agent Smith's words hit her full force. She had put protective spells on the journal, the Pan-Ku Box, and even the encasement surrounding the talismans, but the idea of casting one on the vault or Tarakudo's mask hadn't occurred to her. The journal hadn't mentioned anything about targeting the mask, so she hadn't thought...

 _"But I should have..."_ she thought to herself, appalled by her own lack of foresight. The contents of the journal suggested that the enemy was looking to amass powerful magical artifacts. As Agent Smith had said, it was only **common** **sense** that the enemy would want the mask. Besides the possibility that they may try to free Tarakudo and his generals, they could also use it to summon multitudes of any of the nine tribes of Shadowkhan, whereas before they could only summon two to three shikigami at a time to do their bidding. Thanks to her, the enemy had grown stronger.

 _"Gods... what have I done?!"_ Panic seized her. Had she just condemned her family and all of humanity because of this one egregious error?

Jasmine looked to the crowd as they murmured to each other. She could hear them. They were agreeing with Agent Smith. They were blaming Jasmine, saying that it was **her** fault.

 _"By Inari... what are they going to do to me?"_

Captain Black hadn't said anything. He was looking around with a lost expression on his face, like he wasn't sure what to do. The crowd of agents were staring at her with frowns and Agent Smith was sneering at her.

In her panic induced state; she wondered if her actions had doomed everyone at the compound. She wondered if she had endangered Camille and Susumu. She wondered if they were going to attack her, kill her, or worse yet, banish her to the Netherworld for all eternity.

Jasmine staggered, consumed by a sense of powerlessness. _"What have I_ _ **done**_ _?! This is_ _ **all**_ _ **my**_ _ **fault**_ _!"_

It was all too overwhelming. The displeased stares, the hushed whispers, the uncertainty of it all. It was all too much...

Jade, concerned by her prolonged silence, gazed up at Jasmine. "... Jazz?"

Jasmine's head snapped up and in that moment she very much resembled a startled wild animal. Before Jade could call her name a second time, Jasmine bolted. She pushed past the crowd and ran for her room. Once there, she slammed the door shut and dove for the nook beneath her desk, bumping into her desk and chair in the process.

Her hands clutched her head as she curled herself into a ball. Her mind was reeling, her breathing was chaotic, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't focus long enough to get a hold of herself. All she could hear was Agent Smith's voice blaming her, accompanied by her own self-loathing thoughts cursing her for her own stupidity. Her fingernails dug into her scalp, desperate for it to stop. _"You idiot! You've just ruined_ _ **everything**_ _you've been working for!"_ Tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't find it in herself to disagree...

That was how Jackie found her seconds later, huddled up in the alcove beneath her desk, lithe form trembling as she held her head, glassy eyes filled with tears as she hyperventilated. He immediately realized that she was in the throes of a panic attack.

In a matter of seconds he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, hands on her shoulders giving her a gentle shake. "Jasmine? Jasmine!"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she didn't respond. Despite the fact that her eyes were wide open, she didn't seem to see him, as if she was seeing right through him. He only hoped that she wasn't too far gone that he couldn't break her out of her trance.

He tried calling her name again, but received the same result. Then, an idea popped into his head. He remembered the night of the duel at the compound, how Jasmine eventually calmed down after embracing her. With nothing else to try, Jackie pulled Jasmine into his arms.

Jasmine jolted in his hold, only now realizing that Jackie was with her. She blinked, more tears slipping down her face. His touch was helping her pull herself out of her thoughts so she could try to ground herself in reality.

A memory popped into her head. She remembered how whenever she had a panic attack back at the compound, one of her parents had always held her until she calmed down. But the thought of her parents and the compound only took her mind back to what Agent Smith had said, slowly dragging her back to her original panicked state.

Jasmine shook her head and wrapped her arms around Jackie, desperate for anything else to focus on. She inhaled deeply in an attempt to steady her breathing and inadvertently took in Jackie's scent. He smelled of earth and old books. It reminded her of the days where the weather was warm and the sun was bright when she'd rest under the cherry blossom tree in the garden and read. She recalled the tranquility of it, how she was alone, but still surrounded by the harmonious symphony of nature. Those days were, by far, some of her favorite memories.

Jackie stroked her hair in silence, feeling Jasmine gradually relax in his arms, listening as her breathing began to even out. Holding her now, he noticed things that he hadn't the first time. He noticed how soft her hair was, how she smelled faintly of lavender, and how she seemed strangely small in his arms even though he knew that she was only a couple of inches shorter than he was.

Jackie mentally slapped himself, frowning at his train of thought. _"What are you thinking? Now is not the time for this!"_

Eventually, Jasmine's breathing returned to normal and her arms dropped to her sides. Jackie released her and took a moment to look her over. She appeared both tired and mortified and she refused to look at him, her bloodshot eyes glued to a random spot on the floor. He opened his mouth, trying to find **something** to say, when he caught sight of something bright orange on the floor.

Turning to his right, he discovered an orange pill bottle, the kind that prescription medication typically came in, lying on its side. Jackie knew that it wasn't right to pry, but he figured that if it could shed some light on what Jasmine was going through, maybe he could do more to help her.

Jasmine saw movement out of the corner of her eye, but realized too late what it was that Jackie was reaching for. Before she could do or say anything, he already had the pill bottle in his hand.

Jackie's brow furrowed at the text on the label. He saw that they were Jasmine's pills, the instructions said that she had to take one pill on a daily basis, there was one month's supply in the bottle, and it had been prescribed to her over seven months ago... But none of that told him what the medication actually **was**. He turned the bottle over and looked at the other side where he discovered the medications name. He didn't recognize the scientific name of the medicine, but he **did** recognize the brand. It was a brand that he had seen plenty of commercials for on television.

Jasmine watched as realization dawned on her face. She turned away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She hadn't wanted anyone to know...

Jackie, wide eyed, looked between Jasmine and the bottle, not quite believing what he had read. But the bold text was clear as day and Jasmine's expression told him everything he needed to know. "... Jasmine, these are... your pills?"

She nodded.

"... These are... antidepressants, aren't they?"

Again she nodded, still refusing to meet his gaze.

He stared, not fully comprehending the concept that even demons could apparently fall victim to mental illnesses. He had so many questions, but couldn't settle on which to ask first. "When... how... why..."

Jasmine chuckled bitterly, "Humans and demons aren't all that different, remember? Demons may be immune to a large number of human diseases, but they are just as susceptible to ailments of the mind as humans are. Kitsune in particular are easily prone to negative emotions. It's a common problem I'm told, but **I'm** the only one who seems to be suffering from it in the family."

"Suffering from what exactly? And for how long?" he dared to ask.

"At the age of eighteen, I was diagnosed with severe social anxiety and depression. I was told that childhood trauma had worsened the condition. It was around that time the medication was first prescribed."

It was also around that time when the rest of the compound had somehow found out that she needed medication and berated her for it. They berated her for being **weak** , for needing **help**.

Jackie gaped at her. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces began falling into place. Daisuke's vague request that he keep an eye on his daughter, Jasmine's odd behavior and mannerisms, the reason why she never stood up for herself when the Section 13 agents harassed her... All of it tied back to her condition.

Jackie glanced back at the bottle, noting that the supply inside seemed untouched. "... Jasmine, this says that you need to take this once a day."

"Yes. That's typically how most psychiatric drugs work." she flippantly responded.

"This was issued over **seven** **months** ago! It doesn't look like you've taken a **single** one!"

Jasmine's body tensed up and her jaw clenched. She was so sick of having this conversation. "I. Don't. **Need**. It." she ground out.

"Jasmine," Jackie's tone was pleading as he tried to reason with her, "you said it yourself. You suffer from severe social anxiety and depression. The medication is supposed to help you."

Jasmine growled low in her throat, vexed by the archaeologist's inability to mind his own business. "Gods, you sound just like my father." Her head snapped up and Jackie actually recoiled at the fierce expression on her face. "I'm not **weak**! I don't **need** any **help**!"

Jackie stared, incredulous. "You think... that needing help is a sign of weakness?"

She glared at him, as if silently challenging him to tell her otherwise.

"Jasmine... there is no shame in asking for help and it's not a sign of weakness to need help. It takes much strength and courage to admit when you need help."

Jasmine let out a sardonic chuckle, "That's easy for **you** to say, isn't it? You defeated Shendu and Tarakudo. I bet no one ever accused **Jackie** **Chan** of being weak."

Her frown returned as her depression reared its ugly head. She was too stressed out to try to hide it. She was too tired to feel self-conscious or over analyze the words coming out of her mouth. Jasmine glanced at Jackie, fatigue and a hint of envy in her eyes. It appeared as though she had temporarily rendered him speechless.

"You're lucky." she quietly informed him, "You're human, pure and simple. You're **normal**. You can go anywhere, **belong** anywhere, and no one would question you or your motives. But for me..." Jasmine paused, staring down at her palms, "... I'm a freak. A bizarre hybrid who doesn't belong **anywhere**. Not at the compound with the other demons; not here at Section 13 with the other humans. I'm **different** and no one understands, nor do they try. I feel like I have to work twice as hard, push myself twice as far just to earn their respect, but I never get it. Once they know what I am their mind is already made up."

Jasmine took a moment to look over at Jackie. He was listening attentively to her every word, compassion in his warm brown eyes. Unable to maintain eye contact, she sheepishly stared down at the floor.

"... I know I'm complaining. There are people who have it worse than I do. I've never had to know what it's like to go to bed hungry, I've always had a roof over my head and clean clothes on my back, and I have a family who loves and supports me. There are people in the world who don't even have **that** much. I know I'm lucky to have what I do and I know that it's unrealistic for **everyone** who meets me to like me, but still..." Jasmine hugged her knees to her chest, trying to stave off another wave of tears, "... is it too much to ask for a little civility? Is... that unreasonable? Am I... ungrateful for wanting that?"

A heavy silence fell between them and several minutes passed where neither of them said anything. Jasmine hugged her knees tighter, her anxiety building in her chest with each passing second where Jackie did not respond.

 _"You said too much!"_ she told herself, _"No one wants to listen to you complain, idiot! No one cares about your petty problems! Other people have bigger concerns of their own to deal with! Why can't you just get your shit together and deal with it yourself like everyone else does?!"_

"No, you're not."

Jackie's voice startled her out of her self-deprecating thoughts. Her eyes locked onto his.

"You're not ungrateful for wanting that. **Everyone** deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. It doesn't make you unreasonable or selfish for wanting that." he told her sternly, "You may be different, but you're **no** freak and there **are** people who understand that. There's Captain Black, Jade, the, uh, Dark Hand guys..."

" **Ex** -Dark Hand guys." Jasmine corrected. "Now they're just... my guys." she joked, managing a minuscule smile.

Jackie smiled back. "And there's me... Granted, it did take me awhile to realize it. I guess I can be a bit... stubborn sometimes. But we've all seen how hard you work and we do appreciate and respect you for it. As for where you belong... well... you are the only one who can decide that, Jasmine."

She nodded, her gaze drifting to the floor. He placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look back at him.

"I still mean what I said about asking for help, too. I did fight against Shendu and Tarakudo, but I **never** could have defeated them without help. _"You are never strong enough that you don't need help"_. Would you think that I was weak if I came to you asking you for help? Or if Jade did?"

"No, of course not!" Jasmine immediately replied.

"Exactly. So why would we think that you were weak for needing help?" he asked, smiling gently.

Jasmine had no answer.

"This," Jackie held up the pill bottle, "does not make me think any less of you. There comes a time in everyone's life where we need help," he pressed the bottle into her hand, "you're only weak if you're too proud to admit it."

Jasmine gave an absentminded nod, her brain slowly processing his words as she considered the pill bottle in her hand. She could only wonder, _"Is he right?"_

All of a sudden, there was an impatient knock at her door. Without waiting for a response, in walked a frantic Captain Black followed by a woman that neither Jasmine or Jackie had seen before.

She was young, pale, and could only be described as pleasantly plump, a full-figured woman. Her long black hair had streaks of dark purple running through it and was tied back in a ponytail, two chopsticks speared through it. She had dark brown eyes, in front of which were a pair of black rectangular wireframe glasses. She wore a black off the shoulders top that also had spaghetti straps, a navy blue and turquoise ombré skirt that flowed down to her ankles, and a pair of shiny black ballet pumps. The woman was sporting a white lab coat as well, with a name tag that read, "Dr. Honda", a black leather medical bag in her right hand.

Captain Black took in the scene before him. Jasmine on the floor, hiding under her desk like a frightened child as she unconsciously cradled her side, one of her hands dyed red. Jackie sat in front of her, a bloody handprint on the back of his sweater and a large red splotch on the front.

"Jackie, are you alright?"

Jackie stared at his friend in confusion. "Of course I am. Why?" He then glanced down and noticed the bloodstains for the first time, "... Oh."

Jasmine grimaced, "That's **two** sweaters I owe you now."

"You don't owe me anything. Jade is safe because of you. We'll just say that this makes us even for how I treated you in the beginning."

Jasmine cracked a smile, but it faded when she turned to Captain Black. "Sir, I apologize for... running off like that. And for... allowing this all to happen..."

Captain Black held up his hand to stop her. "No, Jasmine, I'm the one who needs to apologize. I should have thought about protecting the whole vault and I should have stopped Agent Smith from harassing you like that. I was just... stunned. I can't believe she did that."

Captain Black shook his head. His eyes hardened and a deep scowl formed on his face. "Rest assured, I'm going to have a word with her later. The things she said were **completely** out of line. I'll also have her apologize to you."

"No."

"... What?"

"Sir, with all due respect, I've heard enough empty apologies to last me a lifetime." Jasmine told him, "If she doesn't mean it, then I don't want her apology." For a moment, it seemed like the Captain was going to argue, so Jasmine spoke before he could. "Who is this?" she asked, gesturing to the woman behind him.

Captain Black sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I noticed that you were bleeding earlier, so I stopped by the medical bay to grab one of our doctors. This is Doctor Sayuri Honda, one of our best and brightest."

Sayuri blushed at the compliment until she finally got a look at the growing damp spot on Jasmine's tank top and her blood soaked hand. Her expression turned serious as she scurried over to the half-demon, gently nudging Jackie out of the way. Setting her medical bag down beside her, Sayuri gingerly pried Jasmine's hand away from her wound. Going slowly in case the fabric had begun to stick to the injury, she lifted the tank top up just enough so that she could get an idea of what she was dealing with.

Captain Black inhaled sharply and hurriedly averted his eyes, his cheeks tinged pink. Jackie, however, couldn't stop himself from staring. It was the first time he had seen the full extent of the damage Tadashi had inflicted. The bruising was extensive and he almost couldn't believe how long the trail of stitches along her right side was. To make matters worse, it appeared as though several stitches had popped and there was blood smeared all over her abdomen.

Sayuri frowned as she took in the damage, obviously not liking the look of it any more than Jackie did. "It looks like you tore at least five stitches." she informed her, releasing her hold on her tank top, "Let's get you to the medical bay so I can fix them."

Jasmine blanched, her stomach lurching at the suggestion of leaving her room again. Agent Smith's speech in the vault had nurtured the seeds of hate and mistrust in the other agents. If she had to go out and face them again tonight... Her chest tightened; she wouldn't be able to handle it. Not tonight.

"Can't you do it here?" Jasmine asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Well..." Sayuri paused to go through her bag, "the only problem is that I don't have any anesthetic..."

"That's fine." she readily agreed, "I have a high pain tolerance."

Sayuri had wanted to argue, but as she gazed into Jasmine's eyes she got the sense that forcing the half-demon to leave the room would do more harm than good. She sighed and nodded, which caused Jasmine to finally relax. Sayuri then turned to the men and ushered them out of the room so she could get to work, ignoring their protests of concern.

Once they were gone and the door was firmly shut and locked, Sayuri turned back to Jasmine. "Can you please take off your shirt? It'll make cleaning and sewing you back up easier."

Jasmine hesitated, struck by self-consciousness. Disrobing in front of Fujiko was one thing, but disrobing in front of a stranger? A small part of her realized that she was being silly. After all, Sayuri was a doctor, and a **woman** doctor at that.

Jasmine exhaled shakily, gripping the hem of her tank top, "Is it... okay if I leave my bra on?"

"Of course." she replied, digging the supplies she needed out of her bag, "Whatever makes you more comfortable."

Jasmine removed the garment and set it to the side, her cheeks burning red. Sayuri prepared a warm damp cloth and began wiping away the excess blood so she could disinfect the area around it afterwards. She even cleaned her bloody palm, reminiscent of the way a mother would clean up her child after they had taken a particularly nasty spill.

Jasmine watched the doctor with curious eyes. Her movements were deliberate and meticulous. Her face was calm and focused, not a single trace of discomfort or unease to be found.

"You are not afraid of me." Jasmine observed.

"You've given me no reason to be."

Jasmine looked away. "... The others don't share your view. I... can hear them whispering when they think that I can't hear them. They... think I'm a monster... After what just happened... maybe they're right..."

Sayuri chuckled wryly. "Oh, yes. Fighting for mankind's survival and protecting little girls... Truly, you are a force to be feared." She shook her head and started applying the disinfectant, "I'm a doctor, a woman of science. I want facts and evidence before I form a conclusion. It's a fact that you have the capability to hurt anyone in this facility and you haven't, despite their provocation. The evidence in the vault proves that you were genuinely concerned with Jade's well-being regardless of your already injured state. So," Sayuri paused to put the disinfectant back in her bag now that she was done with it and gave Jasmine a warm smile, "I've come to the conclusion that there's no reason for me, or anyone here, to be afraid of you. Actually, I've been really curious about you and I'd like it if we could get together and talk sometime."

Jasmine gawked at the doctor, feeling choked up. Sayuri was not prepared for the tears that welled up in the other woman's eyes.

"I-I'm sorry! D-did I hurt you?" Sayuri gestured to the wound which Jasmine hadn't even realized that she had already begun to sew up.

Jasmine shook her head. "No, no. You're fine. I'm just... a little overwhelmed."

She wasn't used to people actually accepting her and it was happening more now than ever before. She wasn't entirely sure how to handle it.

Jasmine sniffled and wiped away her tears with her arm. Sayuri noticed the pill bottle clutched tightly in her hand.

"Are those your antidepressants?"

Jasmine almost jumped. "How do you know about that?" Jackie was the only one she had told. She hadn't even told Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo, though she suspected that Finn had some inkling.

"Your mother sent over your medical records the first month you came to Section 13. We've been waiting for you for awhile now to come down to the medical bay to get a refill, but you never did. You should be taking those on a daily basis, you know."

Jasmine gazed at the bottle, abashed. "I've... been stubborn. I realize that now."

"Good, because I want to see you down in the medical bay in about a month for a refill." Sayuri paused to give her a scolding stare," Or else."

Jasmine simply nodded as Sayuri continued sewing her up, still just staring at the bottle, contemplative. Finally, she twisted off the cap and swallowed a pill.

* * *

"So... you have once again failed to bring me the Pan-Ku Box and my journal."

The wretched Shikigami, the only survivor from the Section 13 vault raid, let out a sound akin to a whimper as it cowered before its shadow shrouded master.

"She was even distracted trying to protect that human whelp, yet you still failed me!"

The Shikigami, of course, said nothing. Not that it needed to. Its master had seen everything clearly through its own eyes.

"Tsk!"

The figure waved their hand, a dark purple glow emitting from their pale fingertips. In a matter of seconds, the Shikigami began to bubble, then fizzle, and then it started to dissolve. The Shikigami cried pitifully, in pain as its master **slowly** ripped its spirit from its physical form until its head melted and sank into the puddle the rest of its body had become, silencing it forever.

"Tsk!" the figure said again, gazing at the remains of the Shikigami with distaste, "What a waste of magic, materials, and time. And that hanyou tore the other one to pieces in a psychotic rage, so I can't even try to salvage it."

They sighed and rubbed their sore arms, the effects of their bond with the Shikigami lingering. They then looked down at the ancient mask in their hand, the mask of the infamous Tarakudo. A malevolent grin spread across their face as they marveled at all the power contained in that single mask.

"Still," they said to themselves, now alone in their dark lab, "I suppose you weren't completely useless. I can make great use of this. Great use, indeed."

* * *

 **1\. So to start off, Agent Smith's physical appearance is based on one of the Section 13 agents that you can see in the background in the JCA episodes. I just gave her a name and personality.**

 **2\. Okay, so here's a kinda big reveal for me. Most of Jasmine's personality, i.e. the social anxiety, the depression, and the negative thoughts are actually based on myself. I wasn't as young as Jasmine when I was diagnosed, but the doctor said that the antidepressants are supposed to help with the social anxiety as well as the depression. I just thought I'd mention it in case anyone was confused as to why the antidepressants would be prescribed for anxiety.**

 **3.** _ **"You are never strong enough that you don't need help"**_ **is a quote by Cesar Chavez. Weirdly enough, there are plenty of quotes about** _ **giving**_ **help, but very few about** _ **needing**_ **or** _ **asking**_ **for help.**

 **4\. Sayuri Honda is a character that a friend and I came up with. It was my first time trying to describe someone who wasn't thin, so I did a bit of research into what kinds of terms would be acceptable to describe a full-figured woman. I was kind of disappointed to find that some of the terms that I like to use, such as "pleasantly plump" have some negative connotations associated with them. I personally have a belief that** _ **all**_ **people are beautiful regardless of body type. So just to be clear, when I say "pleasantly plump" I** _ **literally**_ **mean pleasantly plump, not some sarcastic insult nonsense.**

 **5\. As seen in the show by Shendu and Daolon Wong, it is possible to summon the Shadowkhan without wearing a mask. So I'm working off the assumption that anyone with magical knowhow can also channel magic through the mask like they did to summon Shadowkhan.**

 **I think that covers everything. And as always, if you have any questions I'll be more than happy to answer them.**

 **One more thing! I need some ideas. As it's been said in the story, the amulets were scattered around the world. I need some ideas for good places for the amulets to be so I can do a bit of research. If any of you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I already have a few of my own for some of the amulets, but I could use a bit of help if you guys don't mind.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry, guys. A lot happened between last chapter and this one. We had to put down my cat that I've had for 18 years and I had to get surgery done. Sorry about the delay.**

 **TheWhispering Warrior:** **Yes, Agent Smith has been with Section 13 for a long time, probably since it was put together. And no, Jade definitely does not like her.**

 **GrimmaulDee:** **As being somewhat of an outcast herself, I think that's why Jasmine gets along so well with Finn and the others. And Australia is a wonderful idea! There is literally no shortage of danger there, even in real life. Seriously, some of their flora and fauna is just scary...**

* * *

The next morning, despite her reluctance to do so, Jasmine ventured outside of Section 13 for the day to explore the streets of San Francisco, just as she had told Captain Black she would. Even last night's events hadn't changed his mind about her taking the day off.

Finn hadn't returned from the hospital yet, so Jasmine had asked Ratso and Chow to continue to watch over the children. After a call to her father that morning to inform him of the theft of Tarakudo's mask, Daisuke had told her that it would be another week or so before a messenger would be able to make it out to San Francisco to retrieve Susumu. He had been oddly secretive about what had caused the delay, but Susumu had been relieved that he wouldn't have to go back to the compound so soon.

Even though she had been there for over six months, Jasmine hadn't actually had a chance to just explore the city, so she had made sure to grab a map before she left. For a few hours, she merely wandered through the streets, looking at shops and such as her mind drifted. She had toyed with the idea of catching a cab to China Town to explore the shops and restaurants down there, but instantly dismissed the notion when she stumbled across the Historical Museum of San Francisco. Smiling to herself, Jasmine immediately went inside to view the exhibits.

Jasmine had always enjoyed learning about the world outside the compound; a world which had once seemed so close, yet so far away. A world which had seemed so different, but similar at the same time.

Stopping at an exhibit of treasure, a fond memory came to the forefront of her mind. Years ago, before Camille was born, when Jasmine had been about ten years old, she had finally managed to achieve human form while successfully hiding her tail and had been able to maintain that form for a week's time. As a reward for her hard work, her father had taken her into the nearby human town for the weekend. Their itinerary had consisted of simply hopping from one aquarium, zoo, or museum to the next, only stopping to eat or sleep. It had been so exciting for her.

Jasmine smiled happily at the memory, then turned her attention to the plaque in front of her. According to the description, the magnificent collection of gold and jewels before her had been hoarded by a pirate captain named Green Beard, who acquired the nickname because of the algae that would cling to his beard after his occasional dives for treasure. When he was finally captured, before he was executed for his heinous crimes, Green Beard swore that he would keep stealing forever, even after he died.

Jasmine chuckled to herself, _"I find that highly unlikely, Green Beard."_

She had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised by the exhibit. After discovering such a haul, she would have bet that the average person would have kept the treasure rather than donate it, as it was no doubt worth a fortune. She wondered what generous person had delivered the treasure and checked the plaque to see if it had that information. Sure enough, it did mention the name of the donor: Jackie Chan.

Jasmine was momentarily surprised, not expecting to see his name, until she remembered their conversation under the cherry blossom tree. He had a career as an archaeologist. It made sense. From what she had seen and heard about him, Jackie was by no means a selfish person and as an archaeologist, he probably went out on expeditions regularly to bring back pieces for the museum.

She envied him a small bit. He had probably been to many exciting and beautiful places all over the world, while she had rarely ever left the compound her whole life. In fact, the first time she had ever even left the country was when she, Finn, Ratso, Chow, and Hak Foo had gone to Tibet to get the Pan-Ku Box.

 _"I wonder... if I asked him... would he tell me some stories from his travels?"_ Jasmine would be willing to bet that he had quite a few interesting tales to tell, and not just from traveling the globe to stop Shendu, Tarakudo, and Drago.

"Jasmine?"

She smiled to herself, _"Speak of the devil..."_ Glancing over her shoulder, she found Jackie walking towards her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Mandatory day off." she replied, "Captain Black said that he couldn't have me running myself into the ground."

Jackie shook his head with a concerned expression, "No, I mean, what are you doing out of bed? You're injured and should be resting."

Jasmine waved her hand dismissively, "I'm fine. Really. It's just a minor injury."

He gawked at her. "Minor?" he parroted, disbelief coloring his voice, "Nothing about what I saw last night looked **minor**. All that blood... and the bruising..."

"I may be a half-breed, but I still have demon blood in my veins. What may be a severe wound to you is a minor one to me."

"But you still feel pain the same way I do. You said it yourself, we're not that different. It must hurt. Are you even on any pain medication?"

Jasmine shook her head, bashful. She wasn't used to anyone outside of her family fretting over her. She wasn't on any painkillers and truth be told, there **was** a dull ache in her chest whenever she inhaled, but she had a high tolerance for pain. For the most part, she didn't notice it.

Jackie frowned disapprovingly, like a parent about to lecture their child.

"Really, I'm fine." she insisted, "It's not like I'm doing anything strenuous. I've just been walking around the city."

Jackie hummed in displeasure, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave her the look she had seen him give Jade whenever she spouted a feeble excuse for not doing what she was supposed to.

Jasmine fidgeted under his gaze. "A-anyway, what brings you here?"

Jackie sighed and joined her in front of the pirate exhibit, deciding to drop the matter. "I was speaking to the curator, Mr. Langford, about the upcoming Song Dynasty exhibit. Some of the museum's biggest donors will be there on opening day to see it and he would like me to organize the exhibit."

Interest shone in Jasmine's eyes. "When is it opening?" she asked eagerly.

Jackie was taken aback for a moment. Aside from museum curators and Viper, it was rare that he was able to see such excitement for a museum exhibit. "Um, in about three months, if all goes well. Why? Did you want to see it?"

"Absolutely!" she answered with earnest, "I've always found human history fascinating! Of course, I had to learn **some** human history as part of my schooling. All demons have to in the event they ever venture from the compound so they can blend in with society. But ai did quite a bit of reading up on my own. I especially liked learning about the Terra-cotta Army."

He smiled, "If only Jade had as much enthusiasm as you do. She thinks archaeology is a "snore"."

She's young. Give her time." Jasmine paused, glancing at Green Beard's treasure. "Wait, she thinks **pirate** **treasure** is boring?"

"No," he sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair, "that's one of the few things she didn't find boring, though for the wrong reasons. She thought Green Beard was "cool" because he vowed to keep stealing forever. I had to explain to her that there was nothing "cool" about stealing."

Jasmine chuckled, easily able to picture the scene. "I think that's a normal thought for any kid to have about pirates, though. Pirates didn't allow themselves to be bound to any rules or laws. They did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. To a child, a pirate's life must seem glamorous." She fell silent for a moment before adding, "I had wanted to be a pirate when I was younger."

"You?"

"Not... not for the reasons you may think. I had no desire for gold or jewels." she hastily assured him, nervousness bubbling in her stomach at the strange look he was giving her, "It was just because pirates could travel anywhere they wanted, anywhere in the world. And... to a girl who was... confined in one place almost her whole life, it seemed... ideal."

"... I see." Jackie regarded her silently. Jasmine was gazing wistfully at Green Beard's treasure. Despite her use of the past tense, he had a feeling that she still wished to travel the world. Deciding to lighten the mood, Jackie asked, "Is that why you painted your face to look like a pirate?"

She hung her head and groaned, "I rue the day I **ever** allowed mother to take those photos."

Jackie laughed and Jasmine allowed herself to smile. Unfortunately, it didn't stay long. As soon as his laughter died down, she decided to move on to a more serious topic.

"... I finished translating the journal last night."

All traces of amusement vanished from Jackie's face. "What did it say?"

Jasmine told him exactly what she had told Captain Black last night. She also told him about how Camille and Susumu stowed away in her luggage and how Captain Black was allowing Camille to stay at Section 13 due to the contents of the journal. When she finished, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"... I'll need to take Camille clothes shopping later tonight and find a school to enroll her in. With my work, I won't be able to oversee her studies myself."

"You could have her attend Jade's school. That way Jade can help her if she needs it. I can give you a hand with the enrollment process." Jackie offered, much to Jasmine's relief.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd **really** appreciate it."

"Oh, but... what about her tail? You had said that she hadn't learned how to hide it yet..."

She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, "Believe it or not, **that's** actually the easy part in all of this. Until she learns to properly shapeshift on her own, I can just bind a spell to a piece of jewelry that will hide her demon form."

Jasmine reached into her pocket and pulled out silver necklace that had an oval locket hanging from it, the shape of a heart carved into the lid.

"I had this thought last night, so I picked this up while I was looking around town earlier."

"You can really do that?" Jackie asked, "Bind spells to jewelry, I mean?"

"Yes. The process isn't as complicated as you might imagine." she replied, putting the necklace back in her pocket, "The binding of a spell to an object isn't too difficult... well, depending on what kind of spell it is... and the spell I'll be attaching is a fairly simple one. Demons have been using this trick for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years. Speaking of magic jewelry," Jasmine dropped her voice to a whisper, "have you found out anything about the amulet yet?"

"No, not yet. I'll let you and Captain Black know the moment I find something." He sighed heavily, well aware of the gravity of their current situation, "Now that you've finished translating the journal, what will you be working on?"

"I'll be doing research on locator spells. Even if we don't yet know what they do, we can't allow the amulets to fall into enemy hands. Especially now that they... have Tarakudo's mask..."

Jackie didn't need magic to know what Jasmine was thinking. "It wasn't your fault." he stated firmly.

"You say that, but if I hadn't been such an **idiot** and had placed a protective spell around the vault and the mask in the first place, we wouldn't be in this mess right now. Jade wouldn't have even been in danger last night in the first place."

"You're being too hard on yourself. You had no way of knowing that they'd find the vault **or** that they would want the mask."

"But I should have **anticipated** it! Like Agent Smith said, it was only **common** **sense** that they'd attack the vault, that they'd want the mask! In chess and in war you need to plan 10 to 15 steps ahead of your opponent or else you risk failure, and when the fate of the world rests on your shoulders you **can't** **afford** **failure**!"

"And do you think that Agent Smith had the thought about protecting the mask and the vault before last night?" Jackie asked, frustrated by the way she was relentlessly beating herself up.

His question gave her pause. "... What do you mean?"

"I was there last night in the back of the crowd when Agent Smith was yelling at you. She made you and everyone else think that the attack and theft were your fault. But if it was **so** **obvious** that it was going to happen, why didn't **she** say something to you or Captain Black before last night?"

Jasmine mulled it over, but had no answer.

"It's because she **didn't** think about it before last night. She had only thought of it **after**. If you are to be blamed for your **supposed** lack of forethought, then Agent Smith and everyone else at Section 13 also bears that blame. Including Captain Black and myself."

Jasmine stared at the floor. What Jackie said made sense, sure, but... She still felt that she was to blame. She had been the one to translate the journal, she was the magic expert. Not Agent Smith, not Captain Black, and certainly not Jackie. She felt that **she** had been the one who dropped the ball, not anyone else. She felt that she should have done **more**. However she could tell that there would be no convincing Jackie of that.

"I... suppose that pointing fingers won't change anything."

"Exactly!" Jackie smiled, mistaking her statement for acceptance, "Blaming yourself won't do any good. Even though they have the mask it doesn't mean it's all over. Don't give up hope."

Well, he was right about that at least. "Right. We have more important things to focus on."

"That's right. But for now, since you have a mandatory day off," Jackie offered her his arm, much like he had at the compound, no doubt still worried about her current physical condition, "would you like for me to show you around the rest of the museum?"

She allowed herself to smile and accepted his arm, deciding to humor him, "I'd like that."

* * *

"Oneechan, can I take this thing off now?" Camille asked, pointing to the now enchanted locket around her neck.

The two sisters had just returned to Section 13 after shopping for clothes for Camille at the mall. The enchanted locket that Jasmine made had worked like a charm, hiding all of her sister's less than human features. People had still stared at them while they were out, but only because Camille only had her kimono to wear. Now the two were heading back to the room Camille and Susumu shared; shopping bags in hand, to retrieve the boy so Jasmine could make supper for the children.

"You can if you want to." Jasmine replied, keeping a watchful eye on her sister. The other agents were staring at **both** of them warily, despite the fact that Camille was only a child. She didn't care if they spoke ill of her, but Jasmine would be **damned** before she'd allow anyone to hurt her little sister.

Camille let out a tiny squeak, happy to finally be able to remove her disguise. She pulled the locket off over her head and dropped it into the shopping bag she was carrying. A split second later her demon features popped back into view and she sighed in content.

"I hate having to hide." she complained. Camille kicked her geta off her little fox feet and into the air, catching them before they hit the ground all while managing to never break her stride. "I hate wearing shoes, too. So uncomfortable." she added, placing the shoes in the shopping bag with her necklace.

"Camille, you know why we need to hide. To most people, demons are nothing more than fairy tales. Scary stories mothers tell their children to make them behave. If we were to go out into the world in our demon forms, our mere **presence** would cause pandemonium."

"I know **why** we need to hide. I just hate it because I think it's stupid. Besides, I thought you and dad wanted demons and humans to be able to live together. Wouldn't it be best to start by getting humans used to seeing us?"

Jasmine sighed, "It's not that simple. People, not just humans but demons as well, are slow to accept change. First we would have to get the demons at the compound to accept the idea of trying to coexist with humans again. Besides that, humans haven't seen demons in hundreds of years. If they were to suddenly see us, they wouldn't accept us. In their eyes we would be too different, too frightening for them to just welcome with open arms. We must take small, cautious steps if we ever want to live together peacefully."

Camille huffed, "Adults make everything more complicated than it needs to be. Who cares what someone **looks** like? The only thing that **should** matter is who a person **is**."

Jasmine smiled wryly, _"Only twelve and she's already smarter than most adults."_ Jasmine reached out and ruffled her sister's hair affectionately, "Well you be sure to remember that when **you're** an adult."

Camille pouted and fixed her hair, though the sour expression didn't last long. As soon as they reached her room, the young halfling grinned and threw the door open, rushing inside. Jasmine sighed and fondly shook her head before following, wishing that she had just a small fraction of the seemingly endless amount of energy Camille seemed to possess.

Inside Ratso, Chow, and Susumu all sat on the floor around a board game. Dropping her bag by her bed, Camille launched herself at Susumu to hug him, startling the boy into dropping his game piece.

"We're back!" she loudly announced, "Hello Chow-san, Ratso-san."

Ratso smiled while Chow smirked in amusement, both of them raising a hand in greeting.

"Hiya."

"Hey, kid."

Jasmine set her shopping bag down next to Camille's. "Having fun?"

Susumu beamed at her, "I got married and had three daughters!"

Jasmine stared blankly at the boy.

"Two of them are twins." he added proudly, only furthering Jasmine's confusion.

"We're playing _The Game of Life_." Chow finally supplied for her, "Since you asked us to keep an eye on the kids, we figured we'd bring some board games."

"Hope ya don't mind." Ratso said.

"No, of course not. That was a great idea."

"In the end, the kid beat us." Chow told her with a sigh.

"Yeah!" Susumu jumped up, forcing Camille to let go, and rushed over to Jasmine, "It was so much fun! I wish we had games like this at home."

Ratso and Chow glanced at each other, puzzled. Jasmine said nothing. She forced a smile and patted the boy's head, but Chow could see the somewhat brooding look in her eyes.

"Uh... hey, kid?" Susumu turned to Chow as he spoke, "What do you mean? Haven't you ever played a board game before?"

Susumu's expression fell and he slowly shook his head. "... No. We don't have any at home."

Ratso and Chow glanced at each other again, this time in disbelief.

"Why not?" Ratso asked.

"Remember when I told you... that not everyone in the compound felt the same way about humans as my family and I do?"

The two nodded. In the early months after Jasmine had just taken up residence at Section 13, Finn, the bravest of the three, had asked her many questions about her family and the place where she grew up. Though after working for several demons, none of them were particularly surprised to hear that most of them didn't have a high opinion of humans.

"Well, there are some in the compound who... take their dislike of humans a step further, going as far as to boycott most modern human made products. Most demon households don't even own a television. The, ah... Sasaki family are the ones who kind of... started the, uh... trend."

"Usually... if I get bored... I just read or play ball."

"That's crazy!" Chow said, "Why would they do that? Isn't that taking things kinda far?"

Camille huffed, folding her arms over her chest, "It's because they're all **stupid**!"

" **Camille**!" Jasmine hissed scoldingly. Whether the young girl realized it or not, she had just insulted Susumu's family.

"No, she's right." Susumu told her, "They **are** being stupid. Especially dad and Tadashi. One day, **I'm** going to be alpha and get rid of all of those pointless rules."

"But... isn't Tadashi next in line to be alpha?" Jasmine asked, unease swirling in the pit of her stomach.

"I'll get stronger." he said with conviction, "I'll fight him for it if I have to."

Jasmine frowned. She could sense turmoil in the near future for the Sasaki family. If nothing else, Tsuyoshi and Tadashi were going to be in for a rude awakening when they finally figured out that Susumu didn't share their ideals and so strongly rejected them.

"Well, at any rate, it's time for dinner. How about you pack up the game and think about what you want to eat on the way back to my room? I'll let you decide tonight."

"Really?"

She nodded, smiling.

Susumu's grin lit up his face. He quickly and neatly packed up the board game, finishing in a few minutes with the help of Ratso and Chow. Once done, Susumu handed the box to Chow. "Thank you for playing with me Chow-san and Ratso-san. I had a lot of fun."

Chow contemplated the box in his hands for a few moments, orange sunglasses making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Then he gazed at Susumu and gave him back the game. "Why don't you keep it?" he suggested with a smile, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Since you had so much fun playing it and all..."

Susumu stared up at him in shock, "Are you sure, Chow-san?"

"Yeah. Consider it a prize for winning."

The boy was stunned to silence only for a few seconds before his face became reminiscent of a child's on Christmas morning. "Thank you, Chow-san!" he exclaimed, hugging the box to his chest, "Thank you so much!"

Susumu dashed over to Camille to show her his gift. While the children were distracted, Jasmine took a moment to pull Ratso and Chow aside.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Jasmine whispered, glancing over at the kids to check that they weren't listening in, "I know you guys said that your financial situation is kind of tough..."

"Don't worry about it." Chow assured her, "That was back when we had just started working for Section 13. We were still broke from when we worked for the Dark Hand."

"Yeah, I almost have enough saved up now to get a new apartment!" Ratso told her excitedly.

Jasmine smiled, both amused and happy for him as she knew that Ratso's current apartment was essentially a glorified cardboard box.

"I can pick up a new game, easy. But, uh..." Jasmine followed Chow's line of sight to Susumu, "he... won't be able to, will he?"

She shook her head sadly, "He'll only be allowed to leave the compound without his family's consent when he's eighteen."

"I thought as much. So just let him keep it. It makes him happy."

"Thank you, Chow. I can tell that this means a lot to him." She then paused, her expression becoming more serious, "Any word from Finn?" She was concerned. She knew how much his nephew meant to him.

Chow nodded with a small smile, "Surgery was a success. Frank's tired, but should be able to go home in a couple of days. Finn'll be on his way back tonight."

She smiled, relieved, and released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Good, I'm glad. I know how worried Finn was."

Suddenly there was a tug on her arm. Jasmine looked down to find them staring up at her pleadingly.

"Oneechan, I'm starving."

Jasmine scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Camille, you have never had to know what it's like to be starving a day in your life."

"I'm pretty sure that how I feel now qualifies."

"No. I assure you, it does not." She turned back to Ratso and Chow, "I'm going to take the children back to my room now to make dinner for them. Thank you for your hard work."

"Thank you again, Chow-san, Ratso-san." Susumu chimed in.

The two ex-criminals grinned. It was nice to be appreciated for once.

"No problem." Ratso said.

"Tomorrow we'll bring over a new game to play. Sound good?" Chow asked.

"Yeah!"

With a smile, Jasmine wished the men goodnight and began leading the children to her room. As she had predicted, the eyes of almost every agent were on them, causing her to feel mildly annoyed. Couldn't they see that Camille and Susumu were just **children**? She knew that they wouldn't eye human children like they were armed fugitives, so why were they doing that to Susumu and Camille? Human, demon, or whatever, kids were really all the same regardless of species. They loved to play and cause mischief, and were always afraid of getting in trouble. It was obvious to Jasmine, why wasn't it obvious to them?

Camille was so distracted telling Susumu about their trip to the mall that she nearly bumped into Agent Smith as they rounded a corner. "Oops. I'm sorry." she quickly said.

Jasmine visibly bristled at the way Agent Smith's nose wrinkled in disgust at the kids. "Watch where you're going." she snapped.

Camille's ears flattened against her head, her face flushing with embarrassment. Eyes clenched shut, she bowed her head. "I'm really sorry..."

"You should be!" Agent Smith redirected her gaze at Jasmine, who was now all but glaring at her. "You should put them on a leash. They clearly can't be trusted to wander around on their own."

"Brilliant idea, Agent Smith! And while we're on the topic of treating people like animals, perhaps we should also look into getting you a muzzle, since you can't seem to stop your incessant barking!"

Jasmine's blistering remark and scathing tone had not gone unnoticed. All around them the Section 13 agents stopped working to watch the interaction, no doubt stunned. Jasmine had never talked back to Agent Smith before, so this was a first. Jasmine didn't care what they thought at that point, though. She refused to stand idly by as someone verbally abused her little sister.

Agent Smith had the audacity to look indignant, "Now you listen here-"

"No, **you** listen." Jasmine cut her off in a caustic tone of voice. "I accept that I **royally** messed up with the vault and the mask. I really do. I understand that you are angry with me, that you don't trust me, and that you despise my very presence. You are free to say whatever you want about **me**. I have no right to stop you. **However** ," she placed her hands on Camille and Susumu's shoulders, "these, right here, are **children**. They are innocent. They haven't done **anything** to hurt you or anyone else. I would expect a woman of your stature to have the maturity and intelligence to treat them as such. I should hope that you don't lurk around playgrounds to criticize human children, so I don't see why you'd treat these two any differently. And the next time you **dare** treat Susumu or my sister as lesser beings or snap at them for something so minor, I will be sure to submit a lengthy and detailed report to Captain Black requesting for you to be transferred to another sector. Preferably somewhere very, very **cold**."

There was dead silence all around them. No one seemed to want to rush to Agent Smith's defense. Flabbergasted, Agent Smith merely stood there, slack-jawed. Camille and Susumu stared up at Jasmine with wide eyed admiration as she pinned Agent Smith with a threatening glare.

Satisfied that the agent had nothing left to say, Jasmine ushered the kids away from her and towards her room, using all of her willpower to stop herself from stomping away like a petulant child.

Waiting until Agent Smith was out of earshot, Camille beamed up at her sister and whispered, "That was so **cool**!"

Jasmine sighed, doing her best to ignore the prying stares of the other agents around them. "Picking fights with people isn't cool, Camille. But..." she glanced down at the children, allowing herself a small smile, "defending the people you care about is."

* * *

Later that night after Jasmine had made dinner for the children and put them to bed, against Captain Black's orders, she sat at her desk and began her research for locator spells for the amulets. She had been working for a few hours, having only paused to take her medication, when there was a knock on her door. She hastily covered up her work on the off chance that it was Captain Black before getting up to answer the door.

Opening it, a small, silver furred pup with gold eyes walked into the room, his ears flattened against his head. Jasmine gasped. She shut the door behind the pup, then knelt down beside him, concern in her eyes.

"Susumu? What are you doing out of bed? And... like that?"

Susumu bowed his head, as though ashamed. "I... had a nightmare..." he admitted quietly, voice quivering ever so slightly, "Can I... stay here for awhile?"

Jasmine's instincts as an older sister kicked in. There were plenty of nights back at the compound where Camille had snuck into her room in the middle of the night after having a particularly nasty dream, too embarrassed for whatever reason to go to their parents. Those nights, Jasmine would embrace her and pet her hair until she fell back asleep.

Scooping Susumu into her arms, she walked over to her desk and sat back down in her chair. "Of course you can. Do you want to talk about it?"

Susumu was silent, eyes glued to the floor.

 _"Whatever it was about, it must have spooked him pretty badly to cause him to change forms like this."_ she thought, idly carding her fingers through his fur.

Her hand paused when her fingertips ran over a patch of rough skin hidden beneath his silver fur. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be an old, deep scar, caused by a blade if she had to guess, and it seemed to circle all the way around his neck.

Her eyes narrowed at the mark, filled with a sense of melancholy and pity. _"Ah, so_ _ **that's**_ _what it looks like."_ She had heard talk around the compound that the Inugami bore the scars of their ancestors in their true forms, but this was her first time seeing it for herself. She supposed that letting go of their ancient grudge against humans would be significantly more difficult when they bore a constant reminder of their cruelty. _"But things are different now."_

"I was at the compound."

Jasmine almost jumped at the sound of his voice. After such a long period of silence she hadn't expected him to answer at all. "In the dream?" she asked quietly, just to be sure. She had resumed running her fingers through his fur to comfort him.

"Yeah, but..." he stopped for a second, inhaling shakily, "... everything... the buildings, the trees, the crops... it was all on **fire**. And the **people**! The people were screaming and fighting while they were **burning**!" Susumu covered his eyes with his paws, trembling as a soft whimper escaped him. "Their cries were so **loud**... the fire... it was so **hot**... and the **smell**... It was so **awful**!"

Jasmine frowned, feeling sorry for the young boy. It sounded like the nightmare had been extremely vivid and graphic. "I'm sorry that you had see that Susumu, but you know that in real life a fire wouldn't have gotten out of hand like that in the compound. There are procedures in place to-"

"It wasn't a normal fire." he interrupted, "There was... there was this big shadow standing over the compound with these blood re eyes, just... watching... watching everyone **suffer**! I-I tried... to-to run away, but... **he** grabbed me."

"Who?" Jasmine asked, "Who grabbed you?"

Susumu shook his head, removing his paws from his teary eyes. "I-I don't know... exactly. It was the shadow, but... I could see him up close now. He... he had shared horns and these... greenish-yellow scales. He.. kind of looked like a... dragon."

Jasmine's breath caught in her throat.

"He... talked in this really raspy kind of voice. He... told me, _"All who oppose me shall_ _ **perish**_ _"._ "

Jasmine's hand stilled for a fraction of a second, her expression turning dark. The description that Susumu had given sounded like everything she had ever read about... Shendu. Normally, she wouldn't have given the scenario a second thought as it was merely a dream, but...

Susumu was an Inugami. Inugami were born with an innate ability for the dark arts, which included extrasensory perception. Things like clairalience, clairaudience, claircognizance, clairempathy, clairgustance, clairomancy, clairometry, psychometry, and, of course, clairvoyance. Typically, abilities like these were not gained until an Inugami became much older. But because she gained her second tail before living to one hundred, she simply couldn't dismiss the idea that what Susumu saw was a possibility of the future. After all, he seemed to recall his "dream" very vividly and with current events being what they were, it seemed to be a bit more than just simple coincidence.

Still, there was no need to frighten the boy over mere conjecture. Jasmine stored the information in the back of her mind and did her best to put on a reassuring smile.

"Oh, Susumu... it was just a bad dream. Besides, you know that dragons are extinct." she told him softly, scratching lightly behind his ears, "Everyone at the compound is fine. If you'd like, tomorrow we can call your family so you can make sure they're alright." The Sasaki family didn't actually have a telephone themselves, but it was common knowledge that the Heiwa family did. It would just be a simple matter of calling home and having one of the staff fetch Susumu's family.

Susumu shook his head vehemently at the thought. "No!" he said firmly, "I don't want to even **look** at them, let alone **talk** to them!"

"Susumu..." Jasmine sighed, "I know that you and your family have a... difference of opinion, but... they're still your family. They **love** you."

The young boy snorted, resting his head atop his front paws. "Just because you're family doesn't necessarily mean they love you."

She did a double take. While technically correct, hearing that level of cynicism from a child his age was more than a little disconcerting. "... Susumu..."

He stubbornly refused to look at her, certain that she was just going to try to convince him otherwise.

Jasmine bit her lip. While she couldn't be certain how Tadashi and Tsuyoshi felt about Susumu because they never let their guard down around the Heiwa family, she knew how Lady Kumiko felt. The woman had bowed to her, a halfbreed, with tears in her eyes and told her that her sons, **both** of them, meant the world to her. Kumiko undoubtedly loved Susumu, but at this moment she didn't think her chances of convincing him of that were very good.

"... I wish I was part of your family." he said without warning.

Jasmine's lips twitched upwards into a hint of a smile. "You'd be a very strange looking fox." she remarked dryly.

"Camille talks about you all the time, you know." he continued, "She always says that you're the greatest and that she's proud of being your sister."

"Well... Camille tends to... exaggerate."

"No," he shook his head, "she's right. About everything she says about you. You play with her, care about her, protect her when she needs protection. And you listen to her, **really** **listen** , without dismissing her just because of her age."

"... You say all that as though I'm doing something extraordinary. I'm just doing my job as her older sister."

"Tadashi used to do those things for me. When I was younger." he said quietly, glancing up at Jasmine for a second, "But the older he got, the more pressure dad put on him about becoming alpha and defeating you. Dad's... obsessed with it. With trying to prove that our family's better than yours, that Tadashi is better than... you. Dad dragged Tadashi into his obsession and Tadashi respects dad too much to ever question anything he taught us. He became so focused on getting stronger, on beating you, that suddenly... he didn't have time for **me** anymore."

Jasmine pulled Susumu into a tight hug, heart aching for his pain, but unsure of what to say. She knew that Tsuyoshi's hatred for her family and human kind was toxic, but to hear just how deeply it had affected his family was both disturbing and heartbreaking. It sounded like he had successfully brainwashed his oldest son and potentially estranged his youngest. She couldn't even begin to imagine how lonely it was for Susumu to have to go through that.

"I'm sorry..."

"What do you have to be sorry for, Susumu?" she whispered, petting the fur on his head.

"I... used to hate you, too. But... not for the same reasons as dad and Tadashi. At first, I blamed **you** for Tadashi not being around more."

"Technically... you're not wrong."

"No, you didn't do anything." Susumu said with a shake of his head, "Honestly, it wasn't until Camille and I became friends and I got the chance to **really** know Lady Rin and Lord Daisuke that I realized all of this. You and your family aren't the problem, it's **my** family and everyone else. All because of stuff that happened thousands of years ago. But no one understands that none of that stuff matters **now**."

Jasmine pulled away just enough so that he could see the sad smile on her face, the empathy in her eyes. "You had to do a lot of growing up before you were supposed to, huh?"

"Everyone expects it of me. At the compound they all just expect me to be grown up and mature. But I'm just a kid! I want to do the things that other kids get to do. I want to play and have fun. I want to make friends. That's why I like playing with Camille. And Jade. And even Ratso-san and Chow-san. Because they treat me like a normal kid. That's... all I really want."

"I'm sorry, Susumu."

"I know you don't have any control over it, but... I wish I didn't have to go back to the compound."

"I know..."

* * *

It was around midnight when Finn returned to Section 13. He whistled a quiet, merry tune as he walked through the halls, one hand in his pocket, the other carrying a brown paper bag. The halls were dark and practically empty, with the exception of the occasional patrolman. The agents who lived off base had already left for the evening, while those who lived on base had turned in hours ago.

Knowing she tended to keep late hours, Finn made his way to Jasmine's room. Sure enough, there was a faint glow coming from beneath her door. Smiling to himself, he opened the door and walked inside, shutting it behind him.

As expected, Jasmine was seated at her desk. However, upon hearing him enter the room she began frantically rustling papers around her desk before turning around. When she realized that it was just Finn she visibly relaxed. "Oh, Finn, it's just you. You startled me."

"That should be my line. I can't believe how easy it was to sneak up on you." He shot her a suggestive grin, "Doing something you're not supposed to?"

"Captain Black ordered me to take the day off, but I've been researching locator spells for the last few hours."

Finn rolled his eyes. He really didn't know what else he was expecting. "Geez boss, you're such a rebel. What's next? Are you going to sort the trash in the break room? Or maybe you're planning to reorganize all of Section 13's files?"

Jasmine chuckled quietly. "I don't know. It's hard to decide when you've got a mind as devious as mine."

Finn laughed, but stopped short when he finally noticed the small ball of silver fur curled up in her lap. "Where'd the dog come from?"

"This is Susumu." she said simply.

He glanced between the sleeping dog and Jasmine's face, a brow raised in question. "So, this **dog** is actually the **kid** we met yesterday who popped out of your suitcase?"

"That's correct."

"... Is this a demon thing?"

"Yes. All demons possess a... true form which we usually only call upon in times of peril. Though when they're young fear can easily force the change." Jasmine paused to gesture to the pup, "He... had a nightmare. I was just about to put him back to bed. Speaking of young ones, how's your nephew?"

"Frank's great, just a little bummed that he can't go home right away. Actually, the funniest thing happened today. The squirt, Jade, stopped by after school with a laptop and some movies. Really cheered him up."

"Oh, they know each other?"

"Yeah, they're in the same Dragon Scout troop."

Jasmine blinked, the lack of comprehension plain on her face, "Dragon... Scouts?"

"Right, I guess they wouldn't have had that at your compound, huh?" He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out how to best explain it. "It's basically a like a buncha extracurricular activities made for teaching kids stuff and getting them out of the house. It's to try to keep them out of trouble." Finn then proudly added, "I was a scout once."

Jasmine raised a brow at the irony of his statement, a teasing smile playing at her lips.

Finn could already tell what she was going to say just by looking at her. "Don't even think about it."

Feigning innocence, she held her hands up in defense. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." she replied, the mirth in her voice unmistakable.

"Uh-huh." he said dryly, completely unconvinced, "Keep that up and I'll take these for myself." He held up the paper bag, drawing Jasmine's attention to it for the first time since he entered the room.

"What's that?"

Finn gave her a soft small and handed her the bag. She shot him a questioning look, but opened it nonetheless. Peering inside, Jasmine let out a short gasp, her eyes lighting up at the assortment of candy within. Finn grinned at her reaction. One of the first things he had learned about his new boss was that she was a sucker for sugary treats. Whether it was candy, ice cream, or baked goods, she seemed to love it all.

"What's this for?" she asked, giddily rifling through the bag.

"It's a present from my older brother Patrick and his wife, Mary. It's to thank you for letting me skip out on work on such short notice to be with Frank."

She stilled, glancing up at him incredulously. "He was going through surgery. Even if it is a common procedure, that must have been frightening for a twelve year old boy. What else would I have done? Said, "no"?"

"Valmont would have."

A dark look crossed her face, her eyes turning cold. It wasn't directed at him, he knew. Jasmine had, of course, heard tales of their former bosses and none of them seemed to make her blood boil more than Valmont, though Daolon Wong was a close second. For the way he had treated them, Jasmine had described him as "human garbage".

"I am **nothing** like Valmont." His name dripped from her lips with unconcealed disdain.

"Believe me, boss, we know." he told her, "And, uh, in case we don't always make it clear, we're grateful for that."

Jasmine's expression softened, "... I know."

"Being good... it ain't as easy as being bad, but working for you has been a hell of a lot more rewarding than working for the other guys. I don't get my butt kicked every week and I'm making enough money to keep a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Not to mention that... I can actually look my nephew in the eyes and tell him that his uncle is doing good things for the world."

Jasmine smiled warmly, setting the bag of sweets on her desk. Finn didn't always share his feelings so openly and it was encouraging to hear that she was doing right by the people who were working for her.

"I'm glad to hear it. Really, I am. You know... you could have stayed with Frank longer if you wanted to. I would have understood."

Finn sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I figured. But my brothers and sister-in-law shooed me away. Said I should make sure I don't screw up now that I have a nice boss."

"Did they know? About Valmont and the others?"

"I tried to keep it a secret from them, but... Patrick and Sean, they're not stupid. Who knows you better than family after all? I think they've always suspected that what I did before wasn't legit, but just never had any proof."

Jasmine nodded, "Well, you be sure to tell them that I said, "thank you" for the candy."

"Sure, sure." he muttered distractedly. He gave Jasmine a once-over before redirecting his concerned gaze to her face. "So... uh, how're you holding up?"

"What do you mean?"

"Chow and Ratso told me about the break in and little miss snooty skirt's meltdown." He narrowed his eyes, lips curling into a sneer, "She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"Little miss snooty skirt" was Finn's nickname for Agent Smith, much to the blond's chagrin.

"No, she didn't hurt me, Finn. I'm just... disappointed in myself for not protecting the vault better."

"Boss, it wasn't your fault. Even Captain Black said so."

 _"I'd like to believe that..."_

"Regardless of where the fault lies, we now have bigger concerns to deal with. We must quickly find the other amulets before the enemy, and that's only going to be more difficult now that they have the power of the Shadowkhan at their disposal."

"Piece of cake." Finn claimed, "I've seen Chan do more with less and if he can do it, so can you."

A humorless laugh burst past her lips, "Your confidence in me is flattering, but somehow... I don't think it will be nearly that simple."

* * *

 **Don't have much to say this time. If you have any questions, as usual, feel free to ask.**


End file.
